365 Days of WolfStar
by NeonDomino
Summary: [Latest] After moving to a new area with the Potters, Sirius finds his soulmate.
1. Chapter 1

**Written for:**

1000 prompts - Occasions: New Years Eve/Day

365 Words - Moment

Scavenger Hunt - Write a fic using a fanon pairing

Winter seasonal:

Days of the Year - 31st December - Write about kissing at midnight on New Years Eve

Winter Prompts - (Dialogue) "Happy New Year!"

Colour: Charcoal

Birthstone - Bloodstone: (dialogue) "I can't believe it's already New Year. So much has happened this year."

Flowers: (object) scarf

Elemental: (word) Damp

Slytherin: Write Fluff

Specific House: Traits: intimate

Star: Quadrantids - "You can't actually be serious about this."

Writing Club

Assorted Appreciation - (1) Write about kissing someone at midnight on New Year's Eve

Disney - Dialogue (1) "The world is cruel."

Trope of the Month - Marriage Law - (4) word: reluctant

Showtime - 12: Emotion: Fear

Amber's Attic - 2 - Write about having an important secret revealed

Emy's Emporium - 7 - Write about someone making the best of a bad situation

Liza's Loves - 4 - Write about someone who likes to be warm

Angel's Arcade - (1) Batman - Colour: Black

Build a Cheese Board - Sauces, Spreads, Etc - Hot Pepper: Scarf

Around the World - 19 (phrase) Keeping it together

Pop Figure - January - Spiderman (1) word Adorable

Family Feud - Question 1 - Colour: Green

Dry January - Sirius Black / Remus Lupin

* * *

 **Just One Kiss**

Omegaverse but not detailed

It's New Years Eve and Sirius makes one request of Remus.

* * *

Remus could feel the snowflakes as they landed on his bare skin around his neck and on his face, and he pulled the scarf tighter around his neck, hoping that the thick, black wool would keep him a little warmer. He hadn't considered much when leaving the party. A cardigan and scarf were the only things protecting him against the cold and they weren't enough. He needed his warm coat, but didn't want to head back inside of his and James' flat.

He had rushed out onto the balcony upon Sirius' arrival. He was always excited when Sirius visited, always eager to see his friend. The Omega was the light of his life, sometimes Sirius was the only thing getting him through his days especially around the full-moon, yet… today it was different. The marriage law had been in effect for almost a month now and would end shortly after midnight. That meant that Sirius would have chosen who he was going to marry by now.

The law required all Omegas to choose someone to marry. As there were less Omegas in society than there were Alphas, it was only the Omegas that had to do this. Any Omega left would be randomly assigned someone of high-stature as a partner. Which meant that in about an hour, Sirius would be off the market forever. Though Remus would never dare make a move, the idea that there could never be a chance for him hurt his heart.

At midnight, Sirius would have chosen an Alpha and then Remus would spend the rest of his life pining for someone who saw him as nothing more than a friend, and someone who would be married and would never be his. Sirius would either choose someone or have someone picked for him by the Ministry. The people the Ministry picked were those that were important, rich. Ones with good jobs and stuff. Omegas could still reject the matches if they weren't happy with the choice, and Remus knew deep down that there was no-one in the magical world that was worthy of Sirius Black.

He ignored the music blaring from the flat behind him, choosing to pay attention to the lights in the distance. So many lights from all of the blocks of flats and houses, meaning he wasn't the only one up after eleven, waiting for the clock to strike midnight.

"Happy New Year," a couple of men shouted as a group of women passed them. Remus watched as the women rushed away, wanting to avoid the snow and damp and the two men continued on their own path. Everyone seemed to be excited for the new year to start, all except for Remus.

James was really looking forward to it, considering how loud the music was, blaring from the living room. Remus could hear it through the charmed glass, though the charms weren't overly strong. Just strong enough to block any outside noise that had filtered through the glass when they had moved in. The noise sometimes disturbed Harry when Harry spent time over, and the charms were necessary. Though this year, Harry had spent Christmas with James, meaning that he was back with Lily for New Years. James seemed to be taking it hard, as he did each time Lily came to collect Harry, but instead of moping around for a short time, James seemed to be throwing himself into the party.

Remus would rather be in his bedroom, laying down in his cozy, warm bed, covered in a ton of blankets. Ideally, Sirius would be there in his arms. But going into his room meant that people would be constantly coming to check on him. The vibe of the party would change because everyone would be concerned about him because he didn't wait for midnight, bothering him in their attempts to ensure his happiness. Not understanding that he wanted to be left alone.

It was easier to stay awake until a little after twelve, wish everyone a Happy New Year and then retire to bed.

The door opened and the sound of music poured out. "Remus, here you are," James said. "We've been looking for you. It's almost midnight." Remus briefly wondered why he hadn't put a charm up on the balcony to keep the noise at bay a little more. "Sirius is looking for you - he's gone to check your room."

"Why?" Remus glanced back towards the door. "Is he going to tell me who he's chosen to marry? Tell me when the wedding is?" As the words left his lips, he realised his tone wasn't steady as he had intended. The words had a sharp edge to them that he knew James had heard. "Or perhaps he'll allow the Ministry to pick for him," Remus added, forcing his voice into something more steady.

James chuckled slightly. "Sirius wouldn't allow someone to decide his future like that," he said. Remus was relieved that James was overlooking his upset. He had worked so hard to keep things at bay, to keep his secret. Today wasn't the day for it to come out.

"There's no way he'd allow the ministry to choose for him. Hell, he shot me down pretty quickly when I proposed to him at the start of the month.

Remus stared at James, his lips pressing together as he tried to hold back a scathing comment.

"I only did it because I want Sirius to be happy. That's what we both want, right? Well, he's not going to be happy with a stranger that's chosen by the Ministry. I wanted him to realise that there were options here - that he wasn't alone in this. I wanted him to know that there are two Alphas who care about him more than anything and that he should consider us. Do you know what he told me?"

"What?" Remus asked, a heavy sensation overtaking him. Sirius had turned down James a whole month ago but hadn't approached him. That told him everything he needed to know - that Sirius hadn't considered Remus worthy enough to be his husband - not that he could blame Sirius. Sirius just deserved so much more. Though that didn't help the feelings that he was drowning in. Remus watched James, waiting for James to hurry up and share the information so Remus could get on with watching the snow and waiting for the year to end and the new one to hurry the hell up. Not that the next year could be any better. This year, Sirius was forced to pick a husband. Next year, Sirius will be getting married to someone else. The future was looking bleak.

"Well, Sirius told me that he wasn't worried about himself. He had a few offers already, though he didn't seem enthusiastic over any of them. He told me that it was Regulus he was concerned about. The offers his brother had… he was worried that Regulus would fall back into old patterns if he married LeStrange or someone. He said he wanted me to marry his brother, because he trusts me. I sent the official proposal two weeks ago, and Regulus came to me a few minutes before I came out here with an acceptance reply. We just signed the 'intention to wed' forms for the Ministry."

Remus' eyes widened. "You're getting married again. What about… what about when you said you'll never do it again, not after things with Lily went south."

"Some good came out of that," James pointed out. "Harry, for example." He reached up, his fingers combing through the dark mess of hair on his head. "I never thought I'd get married again, but at the same time… it's Regulus. It's Sirius. The world is cruel, making a law like this. It's not like I'm marrying a stranger. I care for Regulus and it's an honour for Sirius to ask this of me, considering how protective he is off his brother. Plus, it keeps Regulus safe from ending up with a Death Eater. I think that… maybe you've not noticed it, but there have been sparks between me and Regulus for a while but I've never acted on them because Sirius wouldn't have…" he sighed softly. "This was never the plan, but I'm not being pushed into doing this. I want to do this. Maybe this time I'll get it right."

Remus smiled. "Well, I think you and Regulus are a pretty good match. He's good with kids, he gets along with Harry. Maybe something real can come from this arrangement. Plus, you finally have Sirius' approval to start something with his brother." He tried to ignore the fact that Sirius had a few marriage offers. Of course Sirius did - who _wouldn't_ want to marry Sirius - spend their lives with someone so amazing. Though no-one really knew Sirius like _he_ did. They saw a beautiful, fun-loving, full of life, Omega. They didn't see the vulnerable man who was loyal to those he cared about. They didn't see that Sirius was the sort of man who would go to the ends of the world for his friends and loved ones. That he was fiercely protective. That Sirius was the strongest person Remus knew, but still needed someone to protect him because he was easily hurt.

And if the person who Sirius ended up with didn't look after him in the way he deserved, Remus would destroy him.

"Congratulations," Remus murmured. "How about we do something tomorrow to… to celebrate?"

"We'll hold a little get-together on Saturday night," James insisted. "But a more intimate drink once everyone else leaves the party."

Remus nodded. Hopes of rushing to bed after the clock struck twelve faded. But he couldn't turn this down, because it was James. He would stay up, he'd have a drink and wish the couple well, and he'd make sure he focused on his friends happiness rather than his own misery.

"I can't wait," he replied. "I hope you and him will be happy together. You deserve to be happy, James. I'll come inside in a few minutes, okay. I'm just thinking."

"About Sirius," James said, watching Remus intently. "You looked upset that I asked him to marry me."

"You can propose to whoever you want," Remus said, turning away from James at last. His gaze was on the buildings again, and he was sure there were even more lights than before.

"I feel like over the past few years, there's been this puzzle that is yours and Sirius' friendship. I had a bunch of pieces and had sorted them into a picture. A fairly intimate friendship… but never questioned that. Sirius fails to adhere to normal boundaries. Always wanting to cuddle up with someone, holding hands. We know how Sirius is… so I thought I had it all worked out, you know. But now… it's like the puzzle is sitting there on the table, and I've found stray pieces underneath. I've got to take it all apart and put the pieces all together once more."

"James, I know you have a point somewhere in your… I think you're going off track."

"I'm making a point," James insisted.

"You're really not. All I've learnt is that you're really into puzzles."

"Fine. The point is that I saw you both as really close friends. But now I know I've put it together all wrong. We both hate this law, but that's something we've all discussed when it came out, and that's not going to change. But the way you look whenever I mention Sirius… usually you're all smiles, but today you look like you're going to a funeral, or worse still, preparing for your own. The way you responded to me… I never realised… Remus, you'd tell me if you were in love with Sirius, right?"

There it was. Remus had hoped James wouldn't work it out ever, but it had finally happened. Being in love with his best friend since he was about sixteen wasn't so much of a secret anymore.

He stared out at the falling snow. There was no denying anything now. His emotions were all over the place and he didn't trust himself to keep his voice steady enough to reply. He knew his silence would speak volumes however.

He heard James shift closer. "Remus?"

Remus merely shook his head. The damp from the rain dripped from his hair and onto his face.

"Remus, why have you never said?" James asked. "If you had said…"

"Then I'd be right here where I am now," Remus muttered, reaching up to wipe the drops from his skin. "It's better he doesn't know, James, and you won't be the one to tell him."

James sighed. "You need to tell him."

Remus snorted.

"I mean it. I don't think he's got anyone to sign the marriage contract yet. There's still time."

Remus shook his head. "You said it yourself, James. You told him that we were both there as options. He saw the sparks between you and Regulus and entrusted you with his brother, leaving me. It's New Years Eve. Time is almost up and he's not chosen me. We're going to drop this. We're going to pretend that this conversation never happened."

"Remus…"

"I said drop it," Remus snapped. "I'm truly happy for you, but you need to realise that not everyone is going to end up in your boat. Sirius doesn't want me and I understand that. With his upcoming marriage, I can start to move on somehow. Please don't try and give me hope where there is none."

"I just want you to be happy too," James murmured. "I didn't mean to push. I'm sorry, I just thought that if you told him… what do you have to lose?"

"His friendship," Remus replied.

"You think telling Sirius that you love him will ruin things? Remus, he's going to marry someone who doesn't deserve him. Knowing you want something real with him matters. The worst thing he can do is say no. But Sirius would never turn his back on you, and you know that. You're finding reasons where there are none. You're never going to lose him, Remus. But you'll spend the rest of your life wondering if you and Sirius could have been together, had you only told him."

"He's better off without me," Remus said. "I'm…"

"Let me guess. Poor. Jobless. A werewolf. Not good enough. We've heard those excuses too many times. The last one is bull by the way. Now that I'm thinking about it, I don't think I'd trust anyone else to be with Sirius, or trust anyone else to be with you for that matter. Remus, don't let your self-doubts stand in your way. Just talk to him. Just… just please. I…"

"Drop it," Remus murmured softly. He looked out into the snow again, not turning to James. Finally James sighed loudly and the door slammed behind him as he headed back inside.

It was a few minutes before it opened again and Remus spun around angrily, expecting to see James standing there, trying a second time to get him to talk to Sirius. Though he appreciated James' friendship, it wasn't James' business. It was Remus' heart that'd get broken when Sirius no-doubt rejected him.

"What now?" he snapped.

Sirius' hand was still on the handle and he stood, frozen, his eyes wide as he stared at Remus.

Remus stared back. It was very rare that he lost his temper, especially with his friends. "Sirius," he murmured, once more pushing down emotions. "I'm sorry, James…" he trailed off, not knowing how to explain without giving himself away. "I heard you were looking for me - is everything okay?" He shifted his expression into that of someone who was keeping it together.

"You tell me," Sirius said, his hand moving from the door handle. "You're soaked, Remus. You're going to get ill at this rate. It's freezing out here. If I'm freezing, I can't even begin to imagine how cold you must be feeling since you hate the cold. Something is wrong, isn't it? This right here is the opposite of you."

Remus began to shake his head, but Sirius approached, withdrawing his wand and using a charm to make it an umbrella. He held it over both of their heads. Remus turned back to the buildings as he tried to collect himself.

"One problem solved," he told Remus. "Are you going to talk to me?"

Remus shook his head, not knowing what to say. The logical side of him knew that he should follow James' advice. He'd never lose Sirius and would it really hurt to admit his feelings? But he wasn't being ruled by logic. Emotion had taken over and the fear of rejection, that Sirius would be disgusted was ruling him.

"Fine. Can you at least look at me." Remus turned back to Sirius and Sirius bit his lip, a nervous habit that Remus secretly found adorable. "I can't believe it's already New Year. So much has happened this year."

"Too much," Remus agreed, thinking again about the horrible marriage law.

"Can I ask something of you?" Sirius asked, his voice taking on a nervous tone.

Remus nodded. "Anything."

"No questions asked," Sirius pushed. "It is what it is. Just a last request as it were. I just want something happy to end this year one… well, or something happy to start the next."

"What do you need?" Remus asked. "You know I'm here for you, whatever you want."

"I know, but… it's not something I'd usually ask of you," Sirius explained, shifting closer. "You can say no of course. But what I want is to kiss you at midnight." He watched Remus' expression carefully. "Just one kiss. I've put off having the forms signed until afterwards."

Remus stared at him. Never in a million years would he have expected this request. Sirius Black wanted to kiss _him_.

"Fifteen seconds to make up your mind," Sirius murmured. A long pause and Sirius glanced back towards the party. The numbers were lighting up the room. "Ten."

"Yes," Remus said. It was clear Sirius had someone to sign the forms, but he could at least have this one thing. One kiss. One moment where he could pretend. "I'll kiss you."

"Three," Sirius counted, glancing behind him once more, before bringing his gaze back to Remus. "Two. One." He stepped forward, lowering his wand as he did so. Snowflakes found their way onto his skin again, but this time Remus didn't notice.

His eyes were fixed on Sirius as his friend closed the small distance between them. Remus' arms found their way around Sirius - one slipping around his waist and the other coming to rest on the back of his neck, strands of hair getting caught between his fingers. It was just so easy to wrap his arms around Sirius, and Remus wondered if it was real.

Sirius wasn't as gentle as Remus had been. His fingers grasped the front of Remus' cardigan and he yanked Remus closer to him, pressing their lips together as though he expected Remus to suddenly change his mind.

Remus wanted to savour the moment, kiss Sirius slowly, never stopping because stopping meant the kiss would be over and life would carry on, but Sirius had other ideas. His lips moved eagerly, coaxing Remus' lips to part. Remus felt Sirius press closer, one hand moving from the front of his cardigan, making its way into his hair, the other sliding around Remus' back, cold fingers landing on the skin underneath his cardigan and t-shirt.

Finally the kiss ended. Neither of the pair took a step back, both catching their breath, watching each other. Remus was aware of Sirius' fingers gently caressing a spot on his lower back. His own hands remained possessively on Sirius. He was reluctant to let go. He wasn't ready to do so - not without finding out _why_ Sirius wanted to kiss him, but didn't even consider him for marriage.

Sirius reached up, his fingers gently stroking down Remus' cheek. "Thank you," he murmured. He stepped out of Remus' grip and turned to head inside.

Remus stared after him for a moment. No explanation or reason as to why the kiss had happened, just Sirius walking away. The next time he saw Sirius, the Omega would be engaged to someone else. Planning a wedding and a future. He couldn't wait until then to ask about the kiss. He had to find out before Sirius had committed himself to someone else.

"Wait. Why did you want that?" he demanded.

"We agreed no questions asked," Sirius said, pulling the door open. The music wasn't as loud now and Remus noticed James' arm around Regulus' waist. He strode after Sirius, not caring about anyone else there. He needed to know why his friend wanted to kiss him.

"I know. I… I just need to know. Please. I don't understand why you'd want to kiss _me_."

Sirius paused three steps from the door leading to the hallway. "You don't know?" he asked, turning back. "I… okay, let's get this out in the open. I have to sign these forms in a few minutes, so… no beating around the bush. A month ago, James proposed to me, Remus. He said that he didn't want me to marry a stranger. I sent him to my brother because I know they could be happy. Then I waited."

"Waited for what?"

"You. I knew without a doubt that James would offer and you'd also do so. Well, at the time there was no doubt, because that's who you are. I thought I knew you well enough for that. But time passed and you didn't bring it up and I realised you had no intention of offering. I considered asking you to be the one to do the forms - to be the one to marry me - but decided it was a bad idea."

"A… a bad idea? Why? Because I'm… what I am?"

"No," Sirius snapped. "You know I'd never judge you on something like that. I decided it was a bad idea because you'd feel obligated to accept the offer due to our close friendship. I realised I couldn't do that to you, Remus. I couldn't ask this of you because you'd put everyone else before yourself as you always do. You'd… I'd get comfortable and maybe I'd let slip the truth that I have feelings for you. You'd play along because we're married, and you'd spend your life having to pretend you love me back - and you would do that, because you'd put my happiness first. By asking this of you, I'd be taking away your chance to find someone you actually did love - from your own happy marriage. From having kids with someone you did want to be with. I wanted the one kiss because…"

"Because you love me," Remus finished softly. "Do you?"

"I'm sorry," Sirius murmured. "I don't want to ruin… I'll marry Fabian and then we can resume our friendship like this never happened."

"Like hell you're marrying him," Remus said, frowning. "Do you have the forms with you?"

Sirius reached into his pocket, pulling out forms that had been folded haphazardly. The corners were bent and it was clear that Sirius didn't care about the marriage he was about to enter into.

"Are you dating him?" Remus demanded, opening the forms and scanning them, pleased that the bottom had no signatures just yet.

"We had dinner to discuss the arrangement. His mum is pressuring him to marry and the law is forcing me to… what are you doing?" Sirius followed Remus across the room and watched as Remus grabbed a quill.

"You love me," Remus stated, dipping the quill in ink, whilst using his other hand to smooth the paper onto the table. "I love you. Marry me instead."

Sirius looked between Remus and the papers. "You don't mean that."

"What? That I love you, or that I want you to marry me."

"Any of it. You're doing that thing again - where you want to make everyone happy before yourself," Sirius accused. "I don't want you to marry me out of pity, Remus. I want you to marry me because you love me. Promise me you won't sign those papers unless you… you really do."

"And if I do?" Remus asked.

"Then… then I'd marry you without even having to think about it," Sirius replied. His voice shook and his eyes darted between the black quill and the parchment. "Only sign it if you want something real between us. I can't be married to you knowing you're faking emotions or just being with me for my happiness and not for your own."

"I promise," Remus said, lowering his hand. The tip of his quill touched the parchment.

"You can't actually be serious about this," Sirius murmured, his voice filling with hope.

Remus smiled up at him before signing his name. He dropped the quill down, not caring about the few drops of ink that splattered onto the table, and handed the parchment back to Sirius. "Your turn."

Sirius nodded, reaching for the quill and signing his own name hastily as though scared that Remus would change his mind before he finished. The moment he lifted the quill from the parchment, the parchment shimmered gold, and the writing faded from it, each letter turning an emerald green before fading.

"What's happening?" Remus asked, looking at it.

"Spell," Sirius explained. "It mentioned it in the text. Our names will be registered and… this parchment will tell us what happens next. The writing should appear when the time is up."

"An hour," Remus said, glancing at the clock. "So… what now?"

"Well, I have to tell Fabian know this has happened," Sirius said, still staring at the parchment. "But after that, I'm all yours. We've… you need to tell your parents. We have a wedding to plan. Do you want to move into my flat, should we—"

"One thing at a time," Remus laughed. "Tell Fabian now. We'll visit my parents tomorrow and tell them together. As for the wedding and moving… let's start making the plan tomorrow. For tonight - I think we should celebrate."

Sirius smiled. "I came here dreading the future. Now… I can't wait to begin my life with you."

"Can I ask… what prompted you to ask for that kiss?" Remus asked.

"James. I think he suspected I had feelings for you. He came to find me just before I headed out onto the balcony and told me to take a chance. He was pretty convincing."

Remus smiled, turning his head to where James was watching intently. "We kind of owe him, don't we?"

"I'm letting him marry Regulus. We don't owe him anything," Sirius insisted. He reached for Remus' hand. "I'll be back soon. I hope you have some spare pyjamas because I'm not planning to go home tonight."

* * *

 **4496 words**

 **Guys, I'm part of the Hogwarts forum and we're always looking for new writers to participate. Come on over and take a look - link in my profile somewhere! :)**


	2. Returning to Hogwarts

Herbology - Hospital Wing / "I told you it wouldn't work." /

Family Feud - Write about a non-canon Hogwarts Professor

Pokemon - (location) Herbology Greenhouse

Pop Figure - Captain America -Spell: Protego / object House-tie

Dry January - Cold 9 - Write about making someone breakfast in bed

Cheese Board - Character: Minerva

Around the world - Trope - Everyone Lives

Seasonal

Days of the Year - 9th Feb - Someone being in pain

Winter - (word) shiver

Seasonal - colour: thistle

Birthstone - turquoise "Erm… oops?"

Winter in Japan - People sharing a meal

Specific - Ambitious

Writing Club -

Disney - Themes - 2 - Write about someone refusing to do something

Amber's Attic - 10 - Write about caring for someone after an injury [5 bonus]

Angel's Arcade - Soundtrack 1 - Write about something good going wrong

* * *

 **Returning to Hogwarts**

 **Everyone lives / No Voldemort AU**

* * *

"Please welcome our newest member of staff, Remus Lupin," Professor Dumbledore said, gesturing to the man standing next to him.

The name made Sirius lean forward. Twenty-odd years ago, he had followed someone by that very name around Hogwarts, terrified to even utter a word to him. After Hogwarts, Remus had retreated from the magical world and Sirius had moved on with his life. Remus had been a childhood crush.

"Oh Merlin, not again," James sighed softly from his seat next to Sirius. "Poor bloke doesn't know what he's letting himself in for."

"According to the laws, I have to let all staff know about Remus' lycanthropy. Most of you are already aware, due to having taught here when Remus was a student. However, some of you weren't teaching twenty-five years ago. Before raising objections, which I'm sure none of you have, please make yourself aware of the current law updates."

"Lupin!" James shouted, waving his hand. Sirius elbowed him - he was just as embarrassing now as he had been as a teenager and he hoped James wouldn't say something stupid. "What are you teaching?"

"Herbology," Remus replied, glancing over. His lips curved into a smile. "I shouldn't be surprised to find you back here, James." He glanced around, his gaze lingering on Sirius for a lone moment. Sirius straightened up, using a hand to brush a stray curl of hair from his face, not wanting Remus to miss how absolutely gorgeous he had gotten in his adulthood. His other hand wrapped around the tie that was tied loosely around his neck, his old Gryffindor tie. It had started as a joke to wear it, but now it was something that he couldn't help but wear. Even if he wasn't the head of Gryffindor.

"No objections here," Sirius said, glancing at Dumbledore. "Lupin, stick with us."

"We're the cool group," James added.

Sirius glared at James once more. It wasn't cool to say you were cool. Now Remus would think they were losers and he'd never fall madly in love with Sirius. James was ruining everything.

Remus smiled thankfully, walking around the staff table and taking a seat next to James.

"Now, it's the week before term starts, so you all know what you should be doing," Minerva said, taking over. "Making sure your lesson plans are complete, getting settled into your quarters and submitting a list of anything you'll need for your classes that isn't already provided. I shouldn't need to stress that you don't antagonise Mr Filch, or encourage Peeves." Her lips set into a thin line as she stared accusingly at James and Sirius who both sniggered. "You will however discourage people from being out around the full-moon. Though the staff are now aware of Mr. Lupin's condition, the students should not be informed."

"Not that they'll be at risk of running into me," Remus quickly explained. "But it's best they're not around to see me heading to the designated transformation area."

"You go there alone every month?" Sirius asked. "What do you have to do? Do you transform in your clothes or strip down until you're nak—"

"We'll patrol outside prior to the full moon," James loudly interrupted.

Sirius glared at him once more, annoyed that James had stopped him getting a very important answer.

...oOo...

Sirius opened the door of the greenhouse, his gaze falling on Remus who was tending to some new plants. "Hey, heard you needed a hand," he said.

Remus stood up quickly, spinning around. Sirius stared at him. Remus had come to the castle in a suit, but as he worked on plants, he was wearing old jeans that were stained with dirt, and a pale blue t-shirt, which was the same. His hands were filthy.

Sirius usually shied away from getting his hands dirty, but he couldn't pass up the chance to help Remus out and spend time with him before the term started. He rolled up the sleeves of his t-shirt.

"So… where do you want me?" he asked.

Remus' gaze lingered on him, assessing him and the other man's lips curved upwards slightly. "You know, this is the most we've ever talked," he said. "You never said a word to me as students."

"I didn't say much to anyone," Sirius pointed out, containing the excitement in knowing that Remus had actually noticed him back in school. "I was shy."

Remus laughed. "You were shy around me," he corrected Sirius. "You were the most outgoing guy at school, Sirius. I'd like you over there next to that big plant. The one with the thistles."

"That's a nice plant. The colour is so lovely and… thistle coloured," Sirius commented, walking over. "What's its deal?"

"I've been doing some research on the current Wolfsbane potion," Remus explained. "A lot of testing, but this plant is the only thing so far that helps, which doesn't render the potion ineffective. It's dangerous - when I take any leaves, it awakens and attacks. Otherwise it's a docile plant."

Sirius nodded. "Do you want me to collect or subdue?" he checked.

"I need four of the big leaves, but I need them cut right at the base," Remus explained. "It's best that I collect. If you were to make a mistake, we'd have to redo this. If you can keep it subdued with spells. Stunning spells are the best bet."

Sirius withdrew his wand. "I'm ready when you are," he said.

Remus pulled on some gloves. He took out a small silver knife and headed around the plant, examining the leaves for a long moment before making the first cut.

The branches began to move, vines shooting out towards Remus, and Sirius quickly began to stun the plant, shocked when the first one didn't work. He threw the spells at it with more force, hoping Remus was quick about gathering the leaves.

Another branch came up towards Remus, quickly shooting through the air. At the same time, one flew at him and he pointed his wand towards Remus. "Protego," he shouted, bringing a shield up to protect the other man. The branch bounced off the shield, but Sirius wasn't quick enough to also protect himself. A sharp pain in his arm and then his head were the last things he felt before blacking out.

...oOo...

"Trust the DADA Professor and Duelling Instructor being taken down by a _branch_ ," James teased, as Sirius began to come through. "Why did you go down there without me? I told you to wait, and not do whatever you were planning. I told you it wouldn't work, whatever it was."

"So Remus could see I was strong and manly in the greenhouse, which would show him I'm strong and manly in the bedroom," Sirius muttered. "How long have I been here?" He shivered a little before bringing the cover up around himself.

"All night," James replied. "Madam Pomfrey decided it was best for you to get a bit of rest with your recovery. Remus is… oh, here he comes." James glanced over as the doors to the hospital wing opened and Remus came through, a large tray in his hands, with three plates on.

"Sirius, you're awake!" he said, relieved. "I'm so sorry. It's never usually that bad, but I really thought we had it. I mean, we already started and I already had one of the leaves, so it felt silly to stop. But that was inconsiderate of me. I should have taken your safety into account first. You shielded me at risk to yourself."

"It was nothing," Sirius insisted, causing James to roll his eyes.

"I brought you breakfast. It's the least I could do. Later, I'll help you set up your classroom and help with any lesson plans you haven't finished." He gestured to the cast on Sirius' wrist. "Until you're better, you've got me to do anything you need."

"Did you know Sirius is left handed?" James supplied helpfully. "There's one thing he's not going to be able to do with his hand, which I'm sure he'll really enjoy assistance in—"

"James, are you still here?" Sirius snapped, turning red. There were some things he would love to have Remus'... assistance with, but he wanted Remus to do things for him because Remus liked him, not because he felt guilty.

"What I need is for you to have breakfast with me," Sirius said. "I don't blame you for what happened - I should have waited for James like I originally planned. I refused to wait for him and was reckless."

"I always liked that you were reckless," Remus admitted. "One of the things I admired about you back in school. I couldn't even think about doing something reckless myself."

" _One_?" Sirius asked. "Tell me the other things you liked."

Remus laughed. "If that'll make you feel better."

...oOo...

"Mr Black, Mr Lupin, be glad that I'm not a student having walked in on you in that cupboard," Minerva scolded, her arms crossing in front of her.

"Erm… oops?" Sirius replied.

"Especially when your son, and your godson both turn up," Minerva insisted.

"You have a son?" Sirius asked, raising his eyebrows at Remus. "You never mentioned!"

"I told you about Teddy coming to Hogwarts," Remus replied.

"Oh. You said something about Teddy… I just assumed it was… an actual Teddy," Sirius admitted. "Do you think he'll like me?"

Minerva sighed, her hand covering her face as she attempted to collect herself. "You are both Professors here," she stated. "You both have living quarters and all the fireplaces are connected. When term starts, you'll not be permitted to sneak around like a couple of teenagers."

"We missed out on sneaking around as teenagers," Sirius began to explain.

"Mr. Black, I'd rather not have information on your activities," Minerva said. "You're not too old to lose house-points."

He gaped after her as she left. "She wouldn't."

"She would," Remus murmured. "So… broom closet is ticked off the list. Where else did you think about us fooling around?"

"Quidditch Pitch, inside of the stands on the ground," Sirius said. He glanced to make sure Minerva had left. "Good thing we don't have a curfew - let's go!"


	3. Surviving - Space AU

Written for:

Fortnightly - Family Feud - Space!AU

Winter seasonal

Days of the Year - March 20th - Write a space AU

Winter - Word: Frosty

Winter in Japan - Write about someone participating as a citizen in some way

Specific House - Trait: Determined

Star Chart - (theme) loss

Writing Club -

Assorted Appreciation - 4 - Write about starting something new

Disney - Themes - 3- Sufering - Hurt/Comfort

Showtime - 7 - Object: Letter

Amber's Attic - 20 - Write a fix-it fic

Liza's Loves - 9 - Write about a stroke of good luck

Angel's Arcade - Character 3 - Wonder Woman - Hurt/comfort

Around the World - 8 - energised

Pop Figures - Hawk-Eye - 1 - Hurt/Comfort / 2 - Emotion: Cheerful / 3 - Trait: precise

1000 prompts - Setting: Spaceship

365 - Faith

Scavenger - Write a slash fic

* * *

 **Surviving**

 **Space!AU**

 **Okay, so I'm a little behind - but I have faith I'll catch up!**

* * *

Remus sat in one of the empty seats as he waited for James Potter to do the tally. No-one had spoken for an hour now, and he didn't want to be the one to break the fragile silence.

"Okay, I'm ready," James said, the door sliding shut behind him. Only two other people followed and Remus felt hopeless at the sight. There had been over two-hundred people working on that spaceship, yet the room held less than thirty. It meant all of his friends on there were gone as were his parents, as he didn't see them in the room.

James walked through the room, his eyes on the clipboard. The two men sat down in the front row. Remus recognised one of them - the man he had come to see, Sirius Black.

"Supplies are excellent. These escape ships were fully supplied. We'll last for months easily - but I think it's best we ration a little just to be safe." He reached the front and turned, glancing around. "I received a transmission from another escape ship already. We weren't the only people to get to a ship in time. A woman is looking for her son so once I've taken all of the names from everyone, we can assign rooms and I'll swap lists with the other ship."

He poised the pencil. "When I point at you, you say your name."

"You know most of our names already, Jamesy," came Sirius' voice from the front. "Do you think I'll be lucky enough to find out my frosty mother didn't make it onto the other ship?"

"Sirius, you can't talk like that about Mother," the man next to him said, his voice quivering slightly.

"Regulus, you know I'm joking," Sirius insisted. "Well, sort of."

James sighed. "Enough of that. We're not going to be wishing people dead," he snapped. "I don't care right now if I know you or not, we're doing this properly. We're following protocol."

He began pointing, working through the place row by row. Remus remained at the back, feeling a little like an outcast.

He was only there because he was delivering a letter that had arrived at his home by mistake. It was supposed to go to Sirius Black in the west district instead, but it was small and looked like it slipped between two letters. It wasn't the first time he had received the other man's letter. This was the seventh time. He _would_ speak to the postman about the mistake, but he quite liked that he was getting Sirius' post. He was quite taken with the man.

He had rushed to get back to his parents, but had been caught up in the crowd heading to the nearest shuttle after the alarm went. He never delivered the letter, it remained clenched in his hand, and there was a chance that it had been Sirius himself that had dragged Remus to the shuttle, though in all the commotion, Remus couldn't be sure.

"Your name?"

Remus looked up, realising James was looking at him. Many sets of eyes were on him and he wondered if James had called him a few times. It felt like it.

"Remus Lupin," he murmured.

James' lips curved into a smile. "Son of Hope Lupin?" he asked. "When I spoke to her earlier she sounded so worried. At least I have one piece of good news."

"She's okay?" the guilt at leaving her behind was lifted like a weight. "Can I talk to her?"

James shook his head. "Not today. We've got things to organise - rooms, jobs, and so on. But once we've got ourselves organised, I'll get you on the radio."

Remus nodded. She was alive - he could wait a few days to talk to her. If she made it to a shuttle, it meant there was a chance his father survived too.

James counted the names. "I have Frank on controls for now and Alice on the radio, but since they're due to be married, they can share a room." His pencil moved down the list. "Twenty-one of us. Twenty-one lives here which is a good number. Though I'd like to have seen more, it means that we don't have to use power for all of the housing sectors. We'll set up in the family units as they're closest, and because Molly has her children with her." He tapped his pencil against his paper for a moment.

"Sirius, you're sharing with Remus." At the mention of his name, Sirius spun around, grey eyes fixed intently on Remus. "Me and Regulus will take the second room in the family unit, and if we grab one with a third, box room… Peter." He made a note on his sheet before glancing around again.

"Mary, Marlene, Lily and Dorcas, you four are together," James added. "Gideon, Fabian, Molly, Arthur and the boys - I'll set you up in the bigger family unit for now. Once your baby comes, we'll possibly move Gideon and Fabian. He tapped his pencil again, considering the rest of the names and Remus tuned out, his gaze lingering on Sirius once more.

Sirius caught him looking, and moved from his seat up front, dropping down next to Remus.

"I'm sorry," he said softly. "I didn't realise your parents… glad your mum is safe. I just saw you running the other way and couldn't allow that."

Remus unclenched his hand. "I came to deliver your letter," he said. "It doesn't seem so important now, does it?"

"It is," Sirius said, accepting the bent-up envelope and slipping it into his pocket. "It meant you ended up on this ship. You could have been in one of the sectors that didn't make it. You could have been in the library, which is furthest away from the shuttles."

Remus smiled. "That letter could have saved my life. Was it from someone important?" he asked, wondering how Sirius knew he spent a lot of time in the library when he wasn't working.

Sirius blushed. "Uh… James," he said. "Just a thing, not urgent. But I appreciate you bringing it. Highlight of my day is when you turn up with the letters."

Remus' lips curved into a smile. "Well, I do like the trip to your sector," he admitted.

Sirius' face lit up. "You know, I think we're going to get along really well," he said cheerfully. "I suspected we would… and at least we're not half of a ship away from each other this time. Just one bed across. A few feet of distance between you and me… couldn't get much closer. Well, we could." Sirius had lowered his voice and Remus shivered at the tone of voice.

"Job assignments. Remus, correct me if I'm wrong, but you're an expert on planting and growing. You're the only one here from your sector, so can you take charge? Take one people to help you and maybe some of Molly's boys can assist when they aren't in class?"

Remus nodded his head. He was being put in charge of such an important job. Growing food meant that they wouldn't have to ration so urgently.

"We need someone on medical. Anyone?"

"I've some experience," Molly said. "I can teach someone."

Lily raised her hand, and James nodded, making yet another note before moving on to the next job. Slowly he worked through the urgent ones, before doubling people up with the smaller roles that didn't need someone working as many hours.

"The other ship is going to take charge of finding somewhere to land safely," James explained, lowering the clipboard. Remus straightened up at the look of determination on James' ace, and he could see why this man had taken charge. He had the air of someone who could lead people and that's just what they needed.

"They have more people on board so will have all tasks covered," James continued. "That leaves spare people to scour the nearby planets. We're too far from Earth and our supplies may be depleted before returning, so it's been agreed that this is the safest bet. Me and Sirius will be in charge of controls and radio, alternating with Frank and Alice. I'll have room numbers in an hour, once I've rechecked the map of the shuttle. So… take time to get to know each other if you don't already. After that, we'll get everything running." He ran a hand through his hair, sighing. "After what happened earlier, with the alarms, I know we're all worried about everyone else. But our priority right now is making sure that _we_ survive. It'll mean long working hours, extra jobs around the ship whilst we establish everything. It means rations until we have food produced. But we've got this."

"We've got this!" Sirius agreed loudly, and others echoed his words.

Remus believed they really had it.

James glanced at his notes one more time, turning the paper over and writing. Remus admired how much attention he was paying to details, how precise and organised James was.

"Finally, we're not going to forget those we've lost. We're not going to pretend events never happened, that our home for the last three years didn't fail on us. But there's one other shuttle out there and there's a small chance that there's another. We'll listen for word for more, exchange lists of those on board and then we'll know who didn't make it. Once we've got that knowledge, we'll hold a memorial. If you need anything, come and talk to me. Dismissed." He led the way from the room.

Remus quickly followed Sirius and James out, intent on asking James if his mother had mentioned his father, but James had fallen into conversation with Sirius, so he waited, not wanting to interrupt.

"Did you get my letter?" James asked quietly as they walked through the doors. "Good timing. I had Pete stick it in that letterbox only an hour before the alarm went."

Sirius nodded. "Thanks for that. He'd be on the other shuttle if you hadn't," he replied. "I'm ready to get the settlement up and running on a planet. I feel so energised!"

Remus stayed silent with the realisation that Sirius had been purposely having his mail delivered to the wrong place just so he could see Remus. He was quite flattered, and the information lifted his spirits slightly. He wasn't going to mourn anyone until they were sure no more shuttles had made it - and until they had a list from the other one to see who was there.

He had faith that they would survive.

* * *

Review Please :)


	4. Sleeping On It

Written for:

Herbology

Mixed Seed: Character: Sirius

Mixed Seed: Word: Amusing

Mixed Seed: Trope: Marriage Law

Mixed Seed: AU: Apocalypse - Bonus: A seed that can be used more than once (you can't unplant and replant this - it'll stay planted until used the right amount of times or until you unplant it permanently) - 4 uses

Mixed Seed: Scenario: Character A is on their way to sell the engagement ring they once bought for Character B (but they never got to propose) when they run into Character B again.

Mixed Seed: Relationship: Married

Mixed Seed: Genre: Sci-Fi

Hogwarts Assignment 2 - Muggle Studies - 1 - Phone Calls: Write about someone eavesdropping

Fortnightly - Dreams - School - write about not feeling good enough in some way

Around the World - (theme) pregnancy

Pop Figure - Iron Man - Tony Stark: Arc Reactor - a broken heart / Helmet - (word) redemption

Winter Seasonal -

Days of the year - March 20th - Write about someone turning down a proposal

Elemental - Write about people being faced with the same choice but making different decisions

Star Chart - Emotion: Broken

Writing Club -

Assorted Appreciation - 29 - Write about an important moment in someone's life

Disney - Character 4 - Write about someone argumentative

Trope of the Month - Just married Jan - Food: Item: Suitcase

Showtime - (word) Damaged

Amber's Attic - 1 - Write about someone losing everything

Emy's Emporium - 6 - Write about someone willingly staying in a bad situation

Liza's Loves - 14 - Write about a piece of amber jewellery

Angel's Arcade - 6 (relationship) best friend

Bex's Basement - 4 - I cry just a little, when I think of letting go

Film Festival - 9 - Fighting with someone

1000

365

* * *

Sleeping On It

* * *

Sirius' fingers moved over the faded metal as he slowly walked from the sheriff's office down to the shop. The shop was only the floor below, but he moved slowly, reluctant to go.

Years ago, that metal probably shone brightly. New, polished, gleaming before hands touched it, leaving fingerprints. These days it was faded from decades of use by people travelling up and down the spiral staircase that ran through the middle of the silo.

These days, people cared little about keeping a handrail clean. From what he knew, the stairs were cleaned monthly and it wasn't enough to make them gleam as he imagined they once had.

The blue door came into view and Sirius hesitated outside of it for a long moment. Surely there was something else he needed to be doing that day? His fingers found the small piece of jewellery in his pocket and he slid it onto his pinky finger as he considered his options.

From the corner of his eye, he saw someone coming up the spiral stairs. Though he couldn't see all of the man, he would know that tidily combed hair anywhere. Well, a few people had that colour and a similar style, but Sirius didn't want to take any risks. It was enough to make him turn back to the door and walk into the shop.

"I'll be right with you," Alice said as he walked to the counter. She gave him a quick smile before returning to the book she was writing in. Sirius gave a slight nod before withdrawing the ring from his pocket. Behind him, a door opened and closed, but he paid no mind to the sound, his attention on the ring instead.

The ring was an old silver band which he had spent time shining. On the top sat a small chunk of amber. Sirius had read books saying that in the old days, people had used diamonds on rings. But none of the rings in the silo had diamonds, not even the ones passed down through families. Not even his own mother had a diamond ring.

Remus wouldn't like a diamond anyway. Sirius knew that much. Remus wasn't much for things that were considered valuable, and this ring suited him more than any stupid diamond could. For a start, his eyes were the same colour as the amber. A diamond couldn't do that.

Secondly, almost all of the other rings had the stone cut into a pretty shape. But this chunk wasn't cut straight. It was wonky, imperfect. And in its imperfection, Sirius knew it would be perfect for Remus. He was the type of man who could see the beauty in anything and appreciated things that weren't the same as everything else.

Remus had looked at Sirius every day for years, correcting Sirius everytime Sirius had a doubt. Saying that Sirius couldn't see how perfect he was. Remus could even see the perfection in someone as unworthy and imperfect as Sirius.

Well, he did every day until...

Until…

Sirius' fingers tightened around the ring. That stupid marriage law had ruined everything. He had worked so hard to make things perfect for Remus. He was the most amazing friend and did everything for him. When Remus approached him only a month ago, asking shyly if Sirius would help him through his heat, Sirius realised that their friendship had taken the turn he had always hoped.

He had been hoping that it would take a romantic turn, though had hoped for a kiss. Sharing Remus' heat had been something he never dared even dream of. But ever since those wonderful three days, there had been hand-holding. There had been a few shy kisses whilst the two of them adjusted to whatever they were. There had been cuddling. Lots of cuddling, and a request for Sirius to spend the next heat with him too.

Then the law was announced, upsetting everything. Because Sirius had dashed out to get a ring, not even considering for a moment that Remus didn't love him back. After all, Remus had never asked _anyone_ to share his heat with him. So Sirius assumed that it meant just as much to his friend as it had to him.

And the moment Sirius had brought up the marriage law, Remus had shot him down before he even got to ask. Remus knew that Sirius had been about to propose and had told him very clearly that it wasn't going to happen.

They hadn't talked since and Sirius knew things were ruined between them. They hadn't ended on good terms when Remus walked out of his small apartment and out of his life. Considering that Remus worked on the fifteenth floor and Sirius on the top floor, it wasn't hard to avoid each other and that's what Sirius planned to do for the rest of his life.

Or until he went mad from being locked inside of the silo and requested to go outside. Outside was poisonous air. Outside was certain death, but Sirius wondered if there was more. The silo was like a prison and the books told tales of people being free. He didn't feel so trapped when he was with Remus, because his friend gave him purpose. He could exist with Remus, even if it meant being stuck in the silo forever. He could do that because his love for Remus overshadowed his desire to be outside of this cursed place.

"Deputy, what can I help you with?"

Sirius smiled tiredly at Alice. "I'm here to return this," he said, opening his palm to show the ring. "I purchased it a week ago and… and I don't need it anymore."

"Is it faulty?" Alice asked, reaching under the counter and lifting up a book. She opened it at a bookmark, searching through. Sirius watched as her finger traced down one of the columns.

"Not at all. He said no," Sirius admitted. Alice wasn't a gossip, and Sirius knew she'd guess anyway.

"I need to see your ID," Alice said. "Procedure. Though anyone who says no to you... I can't believe anyone could turn you down."

"I really thought he would say yes," Sirius replied softly, flashing his ID to Alice. "Just a fool in love, I suppose. Blinded by it so much that I thought he felt the same."

He reached for the pen, ready to sign his name in the book, but hesitated. "You know… maybe I'll sleep on it. I bought this because it felt right. I don't think I can go ahead with the knowledge that someone else is wearing _his_ ring. I might keep it."

"You paid a lot of credits for it," Alice pointed out, glancing behind Sirius. "One minute, Sir. I'll be right with you."

"I'll leave you to... I'll sleep on it," Sirius said. It felt wrong to part with the ring. What if he saw it on someone else's finger? No, the ring could have been _made_ for Remus. Which meant no-one else was worthy to wear it. "Thanks, Alice." He turned, almost bumping into the other customer in the process.

He gaped as he realised it was Remus standing there, looking even more gorgeous than before which wasn't fair at all. "Remus?"

"Sirius," Remus replied. "Can we talk?"

Sirius shook his head. He wanted nothing more than to talk to Remus, but his heart was broken and he reminded himself that Remus had cruelly turned down his proposal.

"If it's about our friendship, it's going to take a lot of time to get it back to what we were," he said. "If it's about anything else… well, I have nothing to say." He moved past Remus and opened the door.

As it began to close, he heard the creak as Remus opened it once more. Remus followed him down the stairs and Sirius sighed, realising that his former lover was determined to talk to him. He didn't want it to happen on the stairs, so continued to the fourth floor, where his home was.

He held the door open and Remus followed him inside.

"I came up to talk to you," Remus admitted. "I didn't intend to listen in on your conversation in the shop with the shopkeeper. But I think I deserve for you to hear me out."

Sirius stared at him. In his shock to see Remus there, he hadn't even considered that Remus had heard what he said. There was nothing to be done about that now, so he crossed his arms and waited. "Do you deserve that?" he couldn't help but ask.

He didn't expect for Remus to walk across the room, taking a seat on the bed.

"The marriage law was a little out of the blue," Remus said. "It's usually every ten years, followed by a decree for all those capable of having children to do so, depending on the population of course..I didn't expect it to happen after only eight. Last time there was a marriage law, I was thirteen and too young so I thought I had two more years."

Sirius merely stared at him. He knew how the marriage law worked and wondered if Remus would make his point and leave, because Sirius wanted to cuddle into the blanket Remus was currently sitting on, and mourn the loss of his relationship to someone he suspected could be his soulmate (if soulmates existed). Sirius fully believed, because that was the only word that truly fit how much Remus meant to him.

"So it was unexpected when it was suddenly announced. Before I could get my head around it, you were there and I knew you were going to say we should get married because of what James told you, so I said no before you could even ask. But afterwards we argued about silly things. I walked out. Things ended badly and I have no idea where we stand. Did we just fall out? Did whatever is happening between us come to an end? Are we still together? Are we not? I had so many questions and when I thought back to the situation, I realised that my reply hadn't been very nice. It wasn't my intention at all to appear rude, but it was clear that you were hurt. You came with good intentions and I acted poorly."

"Why would I be hurt when someone turns down my marriage proposal?" Sirius asked coldly. "And what did James tell me?"

"See, I knew I hurt you with that," Remus answered sadly. "Can I at least explain myself?"

Sirius shrugged. "Will it make you leave faster?"

Remus ignored the comment. "I said no because I thought you were only proposing to me because of the law and… you know. You see, the law was out of the blue, and then suddenly you were about to propose. We've spent a heat together and… cuddled and kissed but we're not in a defined relationship and nowhere near a stage where we'd get married. In fact, the only times we've slept together are my heat, so what we have… had was still in such an early stage. So when you proposed, I assumed it was only because you felt you had some sort of duty to me. I couldn't let myself say yes to you because I knew you deserved better than me. So instead of being selfish and marrying you like I truly wanted, I said no. Because I thought if I do, you'll find someone better for you. Someone who'll make you happy in ways I don't."

"Remus, I…"

"Let me finish please," Remus said. Sirius went silent again.

"I followed you into the shop because I wanted to find out where I stood with you, or what we do about the situation. I didn't ever want to lose you and these last few days have been killing me. But… but then I saw you bought a ring. Someone proposing out of duty wouldn't buy a ring, right? Though maybe you thought it was appropriate. I was confused, so I stayed silent because I didn't know what else to do. I tried to make sense of it, and suddenly you were telling the girl that you were a fool in love. _Love_ , Sirius. I never knew you felt so strongly for me. If I had… so when you tried to leave, I knew that I couldn't let you go without talking to you. I needed to find out if you really do love me."

Sirius hesitated. "Yes, I love you," he admitted after a minute. "I've felt like this for a while and I thought you felt the same, since you invited me to have your heats with you. Maybe you didn't think we were on the track to this, but from that first heat - no, from before it even, I had always hoped… wished that it'd be you I married. Maybe the marriage law fast-tracked it, as I'd have waited longer. But I took the law as a sign. We were finally together and then this law happened. I was excited because it meant that everything could happen sooner."

"And that doesn't terrify you? Having kids doesn't scare the hell out of you?"

Sirius nodded. "Oh, it does," he admitted. "But it takes all the guessing and panic and waiting out of it. It meant that I didn't have to wait an appropriate amount of time before asking, nor did I have to spend months panicking over how it would go. It meant that I could get the perfect ring and propose and we could be married by the end of the day, able to spend forever together. But you said no. You broke my heart." He moved over to the bed, sinking down onto it.

Immediately Remus' arms were around him, hugging him tightly. "I love you," Remus whispered. "If I knew you proposed out of love, I'd have said yes. If I knew you really wanted us."

"Then say yes," Sirius begged. "I have the ring still."

"You'd still have me?" Remus checked. When Sirius moved back to look into his eyes, Remus still looked hesitant, as though he didn't believe him.

Sirius nodded. "Never pictured spending my life with anyone else. I couldn't love anyone else as much as I love you. Remus, don't break my heart again. I want to spend the rest of my life with you. I've been mad about you since I was… I think around fifteen, and my feelings have only grown stronger." He frowned suddenly. "What do you mean, if I want 'us'. Who are 'us'. Also, what did James tell me?"

Remus moved away again, but Sirius shifted closer, not allowing Remus to leave the big space between them.

"Talk to me," Sirius insisted. "I don't understand what you're talking about. Please, Remus." He reached out, taking Remus' hand in his own.

"So you… you wanted to marry me, but did it quicker than planned because of the law. That's the only reason?" Remus asked, looking slightly dazed. "No other reason."

Sirius considered his words. What other reason was there? "Well, maybe I was jealous of the other Alphas that keep looking at you," he added. "I'd have married you years ago if I thought I stood a chance with you."

Remus nodded slowly, his eyes fixed intently on Sirius. "Sirius, I thought you were doing this mostly out of duty. Sirius, I'm…" he trailed off, pulling Sirius' hand to his stomach.

"Did you eat too much chocolate again?" Sirius asked.

Remus shook his head. "You're going to be a dad," he murmured shakily. "I… I told James a few days ago."

"James knew first?" Sirius asked, hurt.

"Yes, but I had no choice. I came up to see you, but felt sick. James was there and you were on floor eighteen, so he came with me to the doctor. When they asked if I wanted to be alone for whatever news, I was scared. So I asked James to stay with me. They told me I was pregnant. I didn't intentionally tell James over you, I just needed someone with me. That was the day of the marriage law - it was announced that same evening. The next day you were there to ask me to marry you, and I couldn't. I assumed that James had told you, and that you decided that since me and you had started something, that we had a child on the way, that the law had happened - I thought you felt you had a duty to me. I didn't want you to marry me out of duty. I wanted you to marry me because of something real between us, but managed to convince myself that you didn't love me in return."

"He didn't tell me. He has been insisting I go and talk to you though."

"He told me to come and talk to you," Remus stated.

Sirius' hand stroked over Remus' stomach. "I'm going to be a dad," he whispered. "I'm going to be an amazing one, Remus. I promise."

"I never doubted that," Remus insisted.

"And we're going to get married immediately. Wait, your mum doesn't know, does she?"

Remus shook his head.

"Good. Your heat is due in four days. So we need to get married before that."

"Why before that? I won't have that heat now I'm pregnant."

Sirius snorted. "Do you honestly think I'm going to admit to your parents that we had sex before we were married? Your father will murder me, Remus. I'll be buried under one of your farm plots."

Remus smiled. He had missed Sirius' dramatics over the last few days.

"I love you and I'd married you right now because I love you. I don't want to waste another minute without you," Sirius continued. "I'd be suggesting a quick marriage even if you weren't pregnant. But people are going to ask why you haven't had a heat and there will be questions. I'll leave it up to you, but I've been ready for this for longer than you realise."

"You're right. I hadn't thought of that." He took a deep breath. "Yes, I'll marry you, and yes, we'll do it before my heat was supposed to happen. We can take a few days off and take a little trip down to level twenty-five. I've got some credits, so we can go and see a theatre production and look around the little shops and stuff."

"We can stay in one of those nice rooms overnight," Sirius added. "And come back to our room the next morning, claim you're having a heat and just spend three days alone without anyone bothering us."

"It sounds perfect," Remus admitted. "But… how could you forgive me so easily? I broke your heart, Sirius. I hurt you."

Sirius smiled widely.

"Is… is something bout that amusing?" Remus asked.

"Not broken, just damaged," Sirius said. "It's because I love you more than anything. Because staying mad at you interferes with the plans I have for our future. We may have things to talk about, we need to be clearer when talking about our problems and feelings, that much is obvious, but I'm not letting anything stand in the way of us. We're getting married as soon as possible. Not because you're pregnant, not because of the law. Not because of duty or anything… but because I love you and it's what we both want." He hesitated for a moment. "It's what you want too, right?"

"Oh yes, more than anything!" Remus insisted.

...oOo...

The chapel was almost empty that evening. Sirius and Remus stood waiting for the people to arrive.

Hope and Lyall Lupin had to come up from the farming department, whilst James, Regulus and Peter made their way down from the top floor. The pair kept things as simple as possible. Neither wanted a big event and they didn't have anyone else that they wanted to share such a private moment.

Sirius waited patiently through the ceremony until the moment that they were declared married. Finally he slipped the amber ring onto Remus' finger where it belonged.

He couldn't help but smile. Remus had brought his suitcase, which was by Peter's feet ready to be brought to Sirius' room. The rest of his stuff would be moved properly, but that's what he'd need for the next few days.

Sirius couldn't believe it had really happened. Hours ago, his heart was broken and he was devastated. But now... he was married to the love of his life. He was going to be a father.

Life couldn't get any better than this!


	5. The Journey

Assignment 1 - Demonology Task 2 - Write about someone undertaking a huge journey.

* * *

 **The Journey**

* * *

"Remus Lupin," the first man said, reaching his hand out to Sirius. "This is my son, Teddy."

Sirius nodded, extending his own hand. "I'm Sirius Black, this is my brother, Regulus and my best friend, James Potter."

"That's all five of us then. Have you got everything you need?" Remus asked, glancing at the three cases. "Teddy goes in the car-seat so there are a few bags on the floor in the back - I wanted to make sure there's space for all of your stuff."

"It would have just made sense for us to all take our own cars," Regulus stated.

"Though we do appreciate the lift," James quickly added.

"More space in our own cars, though it'd cause more traffic if everyone had their own car and headed up to Scotland to the settlement," Sirius pointed out. "Imagine how bad parking already is."

"I had instructions this morning. When we arrive, we'll be directed to a parking lot," Remus explained. "Do all of you know how to drive?"

"I was still learning," Regulus admitted.

"The rest of us can alternate then," James said. "When you got your instructions, did you hear anything about traffic?"

Remus nodded, letting out a sigh. "I heard that it'll take us days to get there. I've got booking information for stays on the way."

"Days?" Sirius asked, annoyed. "They're bringing people to Scotland in order. Surely the fact that they're doing this means that it'll stop there being days of traffic?"

"That was the idea. But a lot of people are just turning up anyway. They made a rule that anyone showing up when it's not their day to come will be turned away. Well, unless traffic made you late. There's nowhere to stay in Scotland now, apart from the bunkers and stuff."

"Do we have days?" James asked.

"We do," Regulus said. "The meteor isn't going to hit for another month. By the time everyone arrives and settles in… I heard the army was going to go door to door with scanners or something, searching for anyone who got left behind."

"Who'd want to stay behind?" Remus asked.

"Crazy people who think they can live through it," Regulus explained. "The army can try and persuade them, but that's it. Also some people will leave people behind. Maybe older family members, that's the concern. People who can't get to Scotland by themselves."

"But why?" Sirius asked, aghast.

"Smaller numbers mean they get a quicker ride to Scotland," Remus guessed. "Imagine trying to get a seven seater!"

"Well, let's check supplies and get going," Sirius said. "Where are the travel supplies?"

"I've got them in the passenger side for now. There will be space by Teddy's feet since he's in the car seat. I've got three duvets in the boot and a smaller one for Teddy. The driver won't get one. Sandwiches all made up and various snacks. Bottles of water though they'll get warm. We'll be good."

"Good. Well, you're very prepared."

Remus smiled. "I had to be," he replied. "Let's get on the road now, shall we? The sooner we leave, the less time we spend in traffic… hopefully."

...oOo...

The four sat in silence whilst their car sat in traffic. Cars around them beeped loudly as though it would make the person in front of them move quicker. But the traffic seemed at a complete standstill.

"We could play a game," Regulus suggested.

"What haven't we played yet?" James replied tiredly. "I knew it was going to take days and have a lot of traffic, but I never pictured this."

"I spy," Sirius said.

"Not again," James muttered. "Let's think of something else."

...oOo...

Remus let out a loud yawn, shifting under the cover before looking around. "Sirius?"

"Yes?"

"I don't… I don't recall switching seats," Remus admitted, before letting out a big yawn. "Did I sleep for long?"

"A few hours. I'll be switching with James in a bit," Sirius said. "You should get some more sleep before its your turn again."

Remus nodded, closing his eyes, but sleep didn't come. "Do you live in London?" he asked.

"I did," Sirius said. "Born and raised there."

"And is it just the three of you?" Remus checked.

"James' parents and our friend Peter went their own way," Sirius replied. "What about you?"

"Yeah. My parents are in Wales so they'll be meeting us there. My ex… well, she's had health issues so they insisted that she take the last place in a car going up to Scotland days ago. She didn't like to be seperated from Teddy, but finally relented when I pointed out the two of us will find it easier to get to Scotland instead of being a three."

"Why is she your ex?" Sirius asked bluntly.

Remus chuckled. "You don't beat around the bush, do you?" he asked. "Well, we were friends and slept together a few times. It didn't actually amount to anything, just two friend who didn't want to be virgins after the age of eighteen. She got pregnant and that made things awkward - it put a strain on our friendship because we didn't know how to define ourselves so were trying to act as a couple whilst being separated. Finally we realised that we were best off not in a relationship."

"It's nice that you get along though," Sirius said.

Remus nodded. "It is. We're building that friendship back up and she even set me up with some guy a couple of months back."

"Hey, we have that in common. You date guys, I date guys, I am a guy. Maybe when we get to the bunker, we can share a meal of… tinned beans and soup." He was trying to go for a slightly flirty, jokey tone, but it came out more tired and pessimistic than expected.

Remus smiled though. "Maybe," he said. "It'd be nice to know people in the bunker. Plus, I think eating with you could make something as boring as beans seem like a feast."

Sirius grinned. "It's a date."

...oOo...

The group stood on the pavement, watching the car get driven away. Teddy clung to Remus and Sirius held one of Remus' two cases.

"We're here," James said, glancing up at the metal buildings. "How far down do you think they go?"

"I heard they go down a hundred floors," Sirius said. "Did you send the messages out to our families?"

Remus nodded. "I sent a message to the Potters and Peter to find my parents in Bunker M. I sent the same message to my ex. They'll all be applying for the rooms required so it should be sorted already."

"Well… we've travelled all of the way from London in that car. I'm not in the mood to just stand around - let's walk around, find our bunker and our families," Sirius insisted. "Remus, stick close to me, okay?"

Remus nodded, his gaze sweeping the large bunkers that stood in a very large circle around them. "It's so easy to get lost in a place like this," he said. "But at least there are the guys in the army uniforms. They'll help us find our way about."

Sirius pouted. "No need to get their attention," he said, jealously. "I'll find our way myself." He began walking towards the nearest bunker, the rest following him quickly.

Being in the right one was important. The bunkers would be sealed for many years, until the world was considered safe again. Who knew how many people would survive. At least planning ahead could mean being in the same bunker as other family members so they'd all get to be together.

And Remus was glad that he was registering to be housed in the same bunker as his new friends. Especially Sirius. After spending a week in the car with him, Remus was excited to have that promised dinner date.


	6. Feathers

Fortnightly - Dreams: Write about someone needing healing

Fortnightly - Dragons: Prompt set - Safety / Climb / Tight

Around the World: Phrase: Smooth to the touch

Pop Figure - The Falcon - 2 - Wingpack - Wing!AU

Herbology - Word - Consider / Emotion - Relieved

 **...**

Seasonal -

Days of the Month - March 3rd - Write about someone grateful to someone for looking after them

Winter - (word) frigid

Colour - Ivory

Birthstones - "Is there a reason why you're staring at me like I'm about to burst into flames?"

Flowers - (word) Incandescent

Elemental - (word) submerge

Winter in Japan - Write about trying to stay warm

Specific House - Other: Colour - Silver

Star Chart - "I just want the world to stop turning. Just for a minute. I just need a minute."

 **...**

Writing Club -

Assorted Appreciation - 12 - Write about someone telling someone else how they feel

Disney - Songs 4 - Write about someone being treated badly

Showtime - 6 - "Sorry, but I really had to wake you."

Amber's Attic - 19 - Write about hiding someone or something [5 bonus]

Liza's Loves - 13 - Write about a character tending to their wounds / another's wounds

Angel's Arcade - Soundtrack 5 - Write about gaining courage for something

Lo's Lowdown - Character 5 - Colour Pink

Bex's Basement - What is love, if it's not guaranteed

Film Festival - 18: "I didn't know."

 **...**

Assignment - Muggle Studies - Task #2 - Texting: Write about eagerly waiting for something

* * *

 **Feathers**

 **Soulmate AU where people gain their wings when they've met their soulmates - and the feathers represent emotional and important moments in their lives.**

* * *

"I wouldn't call for you - not today at least," James said, sounding relieved as Remus stumbled through the floo. He reached out, taking the case from Remus' hands. "Sorry, but I really had to wake you."

Remus looked almost dead on his feet. "Urgent enough that it couldn't wait for my arrival tomorrow?" he asked. "I only turned back half an hour ago. I said I'm always there if you need me… but not this soon after the full moon."

James nodded. "I understand. You'll understand in a moment. I'll go ahead and put this in your usual room." He glanced down at the case and grinned. "Nice case."

"Shut up, it's my mum's case," Remus muttered, his eyes falling on the pink flowery case for a moment. "What's the emergency?"

"Sirius. He arrived last night," James said, the teasing gone from his voice now. "We've tried to heal him—"

"Heal? Why would he need healing?" Gone was the tired, exhausted voice. Remus was alert now, bordering on the edge of angry at the idea of anyone hurting Sirius. "What happened?"

"His family. He's not talking, but… he was in a bad state. Like I said, we've healed him as best we could, but we need your help. He won't let anyone else in there but I suspect a damaged wing."

Remus nodded. "I'll get him to relax," he said, stumbling towards the stairs. "Your parents?"

"Dad had to go to the Ministry. He's fighting Orion Black to become Sirius' guardian. Mum is trying to get Sirius to let her heal him. He's closed off to everyone. You were our last resort before calling St. Mungo's. But they'd sedate him and we didn't want that - it'd make everything so much worse."

Remus' mouth turned down even further as he glanced back. "I shouldn't be the last resort when it comes to him. I'm his soulmate," he pointed out.

James quickly shook his head. "No. You were only the last resort because last night was the full moon and… well, any other day, we'd have contacted you the moment Sirius arrived." He followed as Remus started up the stairs, his hands wrapped around the small case.

Remus' fingers dug into the handrail so hard that his fingers turned white as he struggled to get up the stairs, but he persevered, stumbling through the house towards Sirius' room.

Dorea was standing outside, her hand on the door. "Dear, how are you?" she asked.

"Surviving," Remus murmured. "Good morning, Mrs Potter."

"I'd normally take time to talk with you, but right now is a matter of urgency. We can have a chat later on though," she said, her fingers wrapping around the handle. "I just need ten minutes to check him over and help him. You too, if anything is hurting." She pushed a pain potion into Remus' hands. "At the very least, get him to take this."

"I'll do my best." He walked through the door as it opened, his eyes falling on Sirius. Sirius didn't glance up, he was sitting on the bed, his hands wrapped around his knees and his face covered. His breathing was shaky, though he seemed to know someone had come in. His body was stiff, frigid under Remus' gaze.

"I just want the world to stop turning. Just for a minute. I just need a minute," he murmured.

Remus stilled at the words. He had never heard Sirius sound this lost, though the incident with the Willow and Snape had come close. But that wasn't what had halted him. It was the coppery scent of blood in the air. He could see dark red stains on the white sheets around where Sirius sat. He stumbled to the bed, causing Sirius to look up. They stared at each other for a long moment, assessing, and Remus waited for permission to reach for Sirius.

"Moony, what are you… it's the morning after the full moon. You should be resting, not here. You… Is there a reason why you're staring at me like I'm about to burst into flames?"

"I heard you were hurt," Remus said, trying to get a good look at Sirius to assess where he needed help.

"Nothing life-threatening." The warmth left his voice as quickly as it arrived. "Nothing that meant you had to come here. I knew you'd be here tomorrow."

"Oh." Remus tried not to sound hurt, though it sounded somewhat like Sirius didn't _want_ him there.

"Not like that," Sirius said quickly. "I'm safe here, I'm a little hurt, but you have it so much worse every month. I only didn't want you worrying and rushing here to me when you need to be resting yourself."

"I'll rest soon."

"Lay down. I'll look after you," Sirius insisted.

Remus shook his head. "Not until you've let James' mum heal you."

Sirius began to shake his head. "I don't need anyone to look after me," he murmured quietly.

Remus smiled. "You know, I say the same thing every single month and you just scoff at me and tell me that I'm being silly and that you're going to look after me anyway and that's what friends do."

"So do soulmates," Sirius pointed out.

"Yeah I know." A pause. "But that's something we've not talked much about, is it? Our wings came in that first day of Hogwarts when we saw each other. But we agreed to wait until we were older before discussing it. Eleven year olds don't need to worry about soulmates."

"We're older now." Sirius was clearly intent on some sort of answer.

Remus nodded in agreement. "We are," he replied. "And if you're ready to discuss it, we can. But it'll be after you're healed."

Sirius' hand found his and Remus shivered - a movement that ran through his body and to the tip of his wings.

"My wing hurts," Sirius admitted softly. "I didn't want anyone to see it. I don't like some of the colours."

Remus understood that. Each full moon caused a feather to turn a dull brown colour, lined with red. He hated seeing those particular feathers because they served as a reminder. If he was lucky, it was just the one feather. If the wolf managed to break one of Remus' arms however, there would be an additional feather.

"How about I bring my wings out too?" Remus offered nervously. He always kept his hidden from his friends. After the full moon, he'd pull them in as far as possible to hide as many feathers as he could, or ensure the blanket hid them. The rest of the time he kept them hidden under clothes and robes.

"You'd let me see them?" Sirius asked.

Remus nodded his head. "You don't have to let James or Mrs Potter see them. You just need to let her heal you. She won't take long."

"There might be some blood," Sirius admitted.

"Then I'll clean them myself," Remus offered. "Can you stand? We can go to my room - less blood on the sheets." He stepped back, letting go of Sirius' hand and Sirius stood. Remus' gaze moved over Sirius' body, searching for anything wrong. Sirius pulled off his t-shirt, letting out a pained gasp as he did so.

Remus' gaze lingered on the large scar on Sirius' chest. "Where did that come from?" he asked, pressing the pain potion into Sirius' hand.

Sirius glanced down. "That was a fresh wound when I arrived," he murmured. "Dorea must have gotten to that one already." His fingers ran over it. "Must be cursed."

Remus wondered what had happened in Sirius' home to cause a cursed wound across his body and an injured wing, but he knew from experience that pushing for any answers could mean Sirius closing himself off completely.

"You don't need to show your wings just yet. Maybe when you're going to clean mine."

Remus nodded as Sirius turned his head towards the door. "Mummy," Sirius called, clearly not happy about the deal. The moment the name left his lips, Dorea rushed into the room, her gaze moving across Sirius' body. "Tell me what hurts," she ordered.

"My legs feel a little shaky. My… my head. My wing. Remus is going to clean it though." He watched her warily.

Dorea nodded. "Can you extend it slightly?" she asked. "Just so I can run a scan on it."

The wing moved slightly and Dorea waited patiently. Another inch and she nodded. "Good," she murmured. The test was quickly run, though Sirius flinched as the wand was flicked at his wing.

Another two spells and he let out a breath, the paleness in his face already fading a little.

"We're going to lay down in Remus' room," Sirius said, once Dorea had lowered her wand.

"Only because you both need rest," Dorea replied, glancing between them. "Are you sure you don't want one of us to help you, Sirius? Remus dear, you look exhausted."

"I'll do it," Remus insisted. Wings were very personal and he didn't like the idea of someone else touching Sirius' wings. Especially not James.

She smiled knowingly. "I'll have this room cleaned," she said. "You both go into the other room."

...oOo…

Armed with a bowl of warm water and a soft cloth, Remus set to work examining Sirius' left wing. "Are you missing some feathers?" he asked, as he submerged the cloth into the water, squeezing it so the water fell back into the bowl. A few drops landed on his bare skin.

Sirius nodded. "It's likely," he answered. "They'll grow back in the next few weeks."

Silence followed and Remus began with the very top, trying not to think about why there was so much dark red. Not because of the blood - the dark red of the feathers signified pain and hurt. It showed how long Sirius had suffered. How many times had Sirius been in danger at home before leaving for the safety of Hogwarts? Sirius rarely spoke about it, but his wing volumes.

"This white one?" he asked, gently wiping a smudge of red from it. The feather was smooth to the touch and Remus was gentle. He understood that Sirius was vulnerable, showing this side of him and he wanted to prove to Sirius that he was right to trust Remus with such an important task.

"The day I started Hogwarts," Sirius answered.

Remus continued in his task, examining each feather before giving it a gentle clean, whether it had blood on or not. He sped up slightly when he reached each patch of red, which was followed by a white. The holidays followed by a return to school.

He neared the end of the colourful feathers, knowing he was going to reach all of the naturally black feathers that were waiting to change colour. A pink one caught his attention and he stared at it for a long time.

"You have a pink feather," he said.

"Yeah. I noticed."

"When? I didn't know. I mean… when did it turn pink?"

"Last year on my birthday. You had very little money to spend and you made me that scarf and gave me that bar of chocolate. That was your _last_ bar. You had almost nothing yet I mattered to you so much that you… I knew before that how much I cared about you. But that's the day I realised I had fallen in love with you."

"It's August," Remus pointed out, the cloth gently pressing against the feather, cleaning it. "Nine months."

"Yeah, well… I was hoping that when I told you about my feather, you'd have a pink one yourself," Sirius admitted. "We agreed to wait before talking about being soulmates. But you've not brought it up and I was scared to mention before in case you weren't ready for it."

Remus worked quietly, getting through the rest of the feathers. A couple of white and yellow ones, a few green and purple and blue. There were several more pink ones and Remus wondered what moments brought those about.

Some dull black feathers appeared and Remus wondered if they were because of the incident with Snape and the Willow, but decided to save the question for another time. He moved on, noticing the red ones that followed. He cleaned them all, finally reaching the last one.

It was mostly black, but it had begun to turn pink. Remus had never seen a feather changing colour before and he watched it in fascination for a long moment. His fingers began to climb up Sirius' wing, resting on the feather.

"So… do you need more time to think about what I just said or…"

Remus smiled. "I'm sorry, one of your feathers is turning pink. Just so beautiful to watch that I… I forgot to reply for a moment." His fingers stroked against the feathers gently. "Sirius, do you want to take a look at my wings?"

"I'd love that," Sirius admitted. He turned around to look. "Do you want me to wash them? It was the full moon so… you may not have had a chance."

Remus nodded shyly. He was scared of Sirius even looking at them. Washing them was such an intimate action, but Sirius had allowed him to do so, even though his wings painted a terrifying tale of what Sirius had gone through.

He turned around, extending his left wing which was the only one that had feathers that had changed. His wings had been an almost ivory colour when they arrived when he was eleven - upon setting his gaze on his soulmate for the first time - which was a surprise. He had expected them to be more different than everyone else's because of what he was.

From what he had seen, people tended to have white feathers. Ivory wasn't a massive leap from that.

Sirius and the Black family were the only ones whose wings weren't white - they were pure black feathers which seemed to add to the family's views on how they were better than everyone else.

Remus didn't know the colours of his feathers. He had stopped looking at his wings, despising the brown and red feathers so much. He wondered what Sirius would find.

The warm cloth touched the first one, causing Remus to jump slightly. He stilled so Sirius could get to work and the gentle touch relaxed him.

It was the most amazing feeling.

"Pink," Sirius whispered after a few minutes. "So much pink." His voice shook as the words fell from his lips. "Your wings are beautiful, you know."

"Yours are," Remus said too. Because even with the hurt and pain on them, they were _Sirius'_ wings and they told the story of his life. And everything about Sirius was beautiful.

"And this one is silver?"

"That was one of the feathers that was coloured when the wings came," Remus murmured. "It was the last one before the white and it's almost the colour of your eyes. I think that feather is our meeting."

"Your pink feathers appeared before mine did," Sirius commented softly. "I think. It's hard to tell."

"We were fourteen and I broke my arm and you were so annoying, rushing to do everything for me to the point where you wouldn't let me do anything for myself. Just seeing how worried you were - how much you cared. That I meant so much to you… it wasn't hard to fall in love, Sirius. I'm surprised that I don't have any pink feathers from when I was twelve and you were protective over me."

"You do have a yellow feather that might be that," Sirius commented. His fingers stroked over the feathers. "Does that feel good?"

Remus shivered. "Yes," he whispered.

"Good. Now you know how turned on I was getting when you were touching mine," Sirius murmured. "You have three pink feathers right at the end, following the brown and red… are they the full moon ones because they're so consistent."

"They are," Remus confirmed. "But the pink… what do you think they mean?"

Sirius considered the question for a long moment. "I think one is because we're taking care of each other," he began. "Another is because you know you love me and that you'd do anything for me… the same as I'd do for you. The last… well, you found out today that I have an incandescent love for you." He shifted from the bed, setting the bowl aside on the bedside table. "But right now I'm exhausted and I'm sure you are too." He pulled the cover back, shivering slightly. Remus realised that it wasn't that warm in his room, as they hadn't used any heating charms, having not expected him.

Remus moved aside so Sirius could get under the covers. He climbed under himself, pulling the cover up over them, hoping they'd warm up quickly. Sirius' arm wrapped around him, holding him tightly.

He stretched out a wing and allowed it to wrap around Sirius, resting on Sirius' side, underneath Sirius' wing. He didn't have the courage to stretch it all of the way over Sirius. Not without any idea that Sirius approved. Sirius extended his own, allowing it to cover Remus.

Sirius' feathers on his own felt more intimate than anything and Remus shivered, causing Sirius to move closer, his hold and wings tightening around Remus. Remus liked how tight Sirius was holding him.

"I've never felt safer," Sirius whispered, the last word turning into a wide yawn. "I had a sudden burst of courage. Is that all right?"

Remus nodded. "Me too," he whispered, unable to hold back his own yawn. "Goodnight, Sirius."

"Does this mean we're dating?" Sirius checked. "Or will you at least consider? I mean, we both have pink feathers, so it—"

Remus smiled at Sirius' words. "It does," he agreed, cutting Sirius off before his friend… boyfriend… soulmate could get worked up. "We can define everything when we wake up, but I'm yours. I always have been."

Sirius smiled. He leaned in, closing the distance between their lips and softly pressed his against Remus'. "And I'm yours."


	7. The Marriage Arrangement

Written for:

Meet-Cute March - Fred Weasley needs a fiancée, and for him the answer's simple: his fiercely intelligent, beautiful assistant, Verity, should play the role! But pretending to be Fred's fiancée threatens to ruin the life Verity's worked so hard for. How will she keep her head when she's losing her heart to her frustratingly attractive new boss?

Hogwarts Assignment 5 - Careers Advice - Task 3 - Write about someone trying to prevent something - In this story, I've written Sirius trying to prevent his parents taking control of his life/taking away the things that matter. His choices are because of this.

* * *

Hi guys, sorry about the lack of updates. I've had two deaths in the family and writing was put on the back-burner for a while.

* * *

 **The Marriage Arrangement**

* * *

Sirius had worked too hard on his little bookshop to give it up. Technically it had been owned by his Uncle Alphard but Alphard had health issues and put it in the hands of Sirius.

Sirius had never worked harder in his life. He turned the dark and dreary business into a nice place. He had hired someone to help him in the shop, had replaced everything he could. He had spent hours scrubbing the dingy upstairs, choosing to clear out books and add in sofas and a little cafe instead. Two evenings a week the upstairs ran Dungeons & Dragons, and on Tuesday mornings, it was reserved for a knitting group.

Sirius loved his bookshop. He lived upstairs from it in the large spacious flat that perhaps seemed too big at times. He loved spending time with his best friend, James, who helped when he wasn't at Uni, loved working with their friend Peter, though Peter had moved on to another job, and he especially loved being around Remus - his assistant manager and secret love. Without Remus, James and Peter, the bookshop wouldn't be as great as it was.

So he made sure to attend the will reading. He assumed that he would get something from his uncle - Alphard had mentioned along those lines as his health got worse, but Sirius didn't know what. He hoped that whoever got the bookshop would let him continue running it, because he put his soul into it.

...oOo...

"His father will of course take that property and the shop," Walburga insisted, tapping her manicured red nails against her arm. "Sirius will return to the family home. As an Omega, he's now under our care again."

Sirius felt sick. His uncle had left him the shop and the flat and a substancial amount of money. Though they'd belong to him in name, and though his parents couldn't touch his money… well, it meant they could do what they thought was right for Sirius.

His parents were allowed to change the business as they saw fit. They couldn't sell it. They could stop him spending a single penny of that money, but couldn't spend it themselves. All because the law still thought Omegas needed someone to care for them.

"I won't be doing that," he said coolly. "My fiance won't like me moving out of /our/ flat." He fixed Alphard's solicitor with a even stare. "I'm sure that it'll take some time to get my mother's other objections looked into. I believe that as he named me legally as his heir, my claims can't be contested?"

"That is correct," Mr Peterson said, nodding his head. Alphard had been a friend of his and had doted on his nephew. "I'm sure it'll take a couple of months to get this all sorted. As long as there's a temporary Alpha to stand on your behalf, everything will be fine."

Sirius nodded his head. He knew that the lie would catch him out sooner rather than later and that his mother would in the meantime file for his father to become his guardian Alpha again. Which meant his father could stop him from ever getting married.

"I need to get back to the shop," he said. "Thank you, Mr Peterson." He stood up, ignored his mother and walked out of the solicitors trying to make a plan.

...oOo...

"We never have an emergency staff meeting," James said, crossing his arms and leaning against the wall. "What do you need and where are the part-timers? Also, Peter doesn't work here anymore. In fact, you've never closed the shop early."

"That doesn't matter," Sirius insisted urgently. "Uncle left me the flat and the shop and money."

"That… that sounds like a good thing though?" Remus said, not quite understanding Sirius' upset over it. "I mean, when you hired me I assumed it was your shop at first. It's what you wanted, right?"

"Yes and no," James said, automatically realising the issue already. "Your mother?"

Sirius dropped down onto the sofa, silently glad that he had invested in comfortable ones for the upstairs of the shop where they held their meetings. "Guaranteed that she's seeing her solicitor later today to start the paperwork so my father will become my guardian Alpha again. If that happens, this shop is done."

"But why?" Remus asked. "The shop is doing well, it's popular. It'd make no sense to close it."

Peter sighed. "Sirius' parents don't believe Omegas should work," he said.

"My parents will try and marry me off to a stranger again," Sirius said. "They'll close the business, move me out of my flat, and they'll stop me touching a single penny of that money."

"Well, we can't let that happen. What can we do to help?"

Sirius shrugged. "I told them I had an Alpha - I said I was engaged. My Uncle's solicitor can hold off the will for a short time, but I'm going to have to get married. I have no other choice." He looked around at his three friends. "But who'll want to marry me?"

James sighed softly. "I married your brother to get him out of there. I—"

"I know. You and Peter aren't single. I was just hoping you'd have suggestions?"

James glanced at Remus. "Remus, you should do it."

"I should what?" Remus' eyes widened. "No one would believe that Sirius would want to marry _me_."

Sirius stared at him for a long moment. "I'm sure a lot of people would believe that," he replied. "Remus, please. Look, the shop is my everything. Do this and I'll give you… half. Yes, half of my Uncle's money that he left me."

Remus hesitated. "How much is half," he asked softly.

"You could buy a house with the money," Sirius said hopefully. "Two houses even."

Remus shook his head. "I don't want to be set for life," he said. "My mum is in a care home and I've been trying to get enough money together to put her in a better one - one that's not so far away. That's all I want."

Sirius didn't know Remus' mum was ill, but suddenly he understood why Remus worked seven days a week (except for Sunday when he went to church), taking every other shift. He was hard up on money. It was sweet really, that his only concern was his mum. Other people would happily take the money.

"Deal. She'll be in the best care home and want for nothing," Sirius agreed. It'd barely dent his future bank account so he'd make sure to give more to Remus somehow. "I said we live together…"

"I'll get a bag of my stuff here in an hour," Remus agreed. "She can dispute it, you know. We need to build this up. Pictures of us on dates. How long do we have before…"

"Two months in the eyes of the solicitor," Sirius said. "A couple of weeks when it comes to my parents."

Remus smiled. "Well, let's get this wedding planned," he said.

"James, Sirius," Peter said, glancing between the pair. "Do you remember Frank from school? Well, we stayed in touch and his wife Alice is a wedding planner. I can call her in to help."

"Great idea," James insisted. "I have a friend with a hall. Now all we need is a place to get married at short notice."

"I take my mum to church on Sundays," Remus said. "I can speak to my priest."

"Okay, so that's everything is it?" Sirius asked, looking around. "We're doing this?"

The trio nodded.

"I'm going to go and pack a bag," Remus said. "I'll stop and visit my priest on the way back. Do you have a date preference?"

"The sooner the better," Sirius insisted.

"I'll go and check dates on that hall," James added.

"I'm off to see Frank and Alice. I'll see if they're free to come back here with me."

Sirius sighed. "I'll… I'll…"

"You make space for Remus in your flat," James ordered. "You book two tickets to the cinema or a show. You two go on a date this evening. Get a picture. Get a program. Keep the tickets. Go back to your uncle's solicitor and get him to start the paperwork you'll need."

The three turned to leave, but Sirius grabbed Remus' arm, stopping him from following the others.

"My family aren't nice. It'll involve taking them on and standing up on my behalf. Are you sure about this?"

Remus smiled. "Sirius, if my mum didn't need so much help, I'd do this for free. I'd do anything to help you."

"You… you would?" Sirius asked softly.

"Yeah, I thought you knew that already," Remus said with a soft smile. "I'm actually quite excited for this, even though it's not going to be real." He turned and left and Sirius stared after him. Remus was excited to marry him? If he didn't know any better, he'd have thought Remus actually wanted him.

But that would never happen. Remus was the perfect Alpha and could pick any Omega he wanted. Why would Remus pick him?

...oOo...

"I've never been to the theatre before," Remus admitted as they left. "How did you know I wanted to see this?"

"I remember you telling me about the book," Sirius replied, glad that he had made Remus so happy.

"That was… three years ago." Remus was clearly surprised. "I honestly never realised you pay that much attention when I talk about the latest book I've read."

"I'm always listening," Sirius assured him. "So… our first date. I made reservations for dinner tonight. I used my uncle's name to get us in somewhere fancy."

"Fancy?" Remus glanced down at his clothes. He had worn his favourite jeans and a black and grey checked cardigan.

Sirius heard the reluctance in Remus' voice. "Or we could go to Bella Italia down the road," he added quickly.

Remus smiled again. "Sirius, where would you like to go?" Remus asked. "I'm not one for fancy places, but I'll go there… for you."

Sirius hated fancy places too, though he used to go to the restaurant with his uncle before Alphard got too ill. He did it because Alphard liked going there and pissing off Sirius' parents who also favoured the place.

"You know, I think Bella Italia is more my thing," Sirius insisted. "After that, we could go for a walk? Talk this over?"

Remus nodded. "Sounds good," he agreed. "We're only a few miles from the shop. We could walk back?"

"Good idea," Sirius agreed. He reached for Remus' hand. It felt so right in his, and he wondered how he'd manage to pretend to be with the man he was in love with. Remus would see right through him and probably run if he knew the truth.

"One concern I have though," Remus said as they started walking. "I've worked hard in that shop, Sirius, I've been there since the start. If this doesn't work out for whatever reason - if you decide it's time to divorce or whatever.., well, I want assurances that my job isn't at stake."

"I swear on everything," Sirius assured him. "But we'll discuss that and how we should act in the bookshop. Just in case someone comes in to check we're really together."

...oOo...

"I had a fun night tonight," Sirius said as he searched his pocket for the front-door key. "A great time."

"Me too. Now I'm not worrying about saving for my mum, I have the money to take you out sometimes. If you want." Sirius' smile widened at the shy tone.

"I'd like that very much," Sirius said. "Thank you for doing this for me, Remus. I know it's such a big thing to ask. I mean, other Omegas might be put off at the idea of you being married, even if it's just for show. It just tells me how special you are that I somehow matter enough to you for you to do this."

Remus raised his eyebrows. "You don't realise how special you are, do you? Sometimes you talk like you aren't and I never understand it. You are the most amazing Omega I've met in my life, and tonight was a dream come true for me. As for marrying you or scaring away other Omegas… what makes you think that I'd ever meet an Omega that would matter to me more than you?"

"Don't you want to marry for love? Have kids?" Sirius questioned softly. Remus' words gave him a rush of hope he hadn't thought possible with Remus Lupin.

Remus smiled adorably but said nothing. He moved closer to Sirius, taking Sirius' hands in his. Sirius allowed it.

"Unless… unless you feel the same," Sirius whispered.

"That really depends on how you feel," Remus told him. "Before today, I never thought I meant anything more than an employee - at best, a work friend. But this date… it didn't feel fake, and… I think we really clicked. But I still don't know how you feel. I don't want to do anything to ruin the arrangement either."

Sirius' eyes widened. "Like what?"

"Like kiss you," Remus admitted. "I don't want to screw this up - you need to be married or you lose everything. Me bringing feelings into this makes it hard on you." He sighed softly. "Spending this time with you, it was easy to forget the arrangement. It felt real."

Feelings. Remus had _feelings_ for him.

"Oh, trust me, you'll find out what's hard," Sirius said, not caring that the line was bad and corny as hell. "Come upstairs and I'll show you."

Before Remus could formulate an answer, Sirius' lips were on his.


	8. Finding Home

Written for: Hogwarts Assignment 5 - Travel and Tourism - Task 9 - Write about a vacation

* * *

 **Finding Home**

* * *

Remus had his guitar in a bag over his shoulder, and he had an old suitcase in the other hand as he got off the train. His choice to take some time off from his singing career had been almost last minute. He had not long finished an album and it had been somewhat successful. For people who liked country music, it had been a massive hit.

But Remus wasn't much of a fan. The songs lacked heart. Only a couple had real feelings put into them but the rest were just empty words that sounded good passing his lips. He hated that he had given in to that, but he had been pushed by his record label and manager to get the album done, and the pressure had caused him to give in.

Thankfully there was very little pressure for the next one. Remus had turned down his manager who was trying to push him to go on tour, stating that he needed time to see his parents. He wanted a break so he could find inspiration for future songs. It had been enough for his manager to back off, eager at the idea of Remus already preparing for his next album.

Though Remus hoped to find some inspiration, it wasn't his main focus. He was there first and foremost to see his parents, secondly to get a break from his career, and lastly, he was there to find out if he could be inspired to continue singing, or if there was more to life than that.

He loved the singing. He hated the pressures of fame.

He stepped out of the station, almost tripping over a man who was walking in the same doorway. The suitcase cluttered from his hand and the only thing that stopped him from falling was the stranger.

"Whoa, careful there," the man said, steadying Remus. "Are you okay?"

"Yes, thank you, I'm really sorry. I was lost in thought and wasn't paying attention to where I was going," Remus replied. "I didn't hurt you, did I?"

"Not at all," the man said with a grin. "James Potter. You here on holiday?"

"Sort of," Remus said. "I'm visiting my parents. Remus Lupin."

The man looked pensive. "You related to the Lupins who own the tavern?" he asked.

"Tavern? Mum and Dad came here to retire," Remus replied, confused. They hadn't mentioned it to him and he felt a little hurt. Though he realised it was his own fault. There was a time where he called his mum every day. These days it was usual to go a few months without making a call, just sending a quick text instead. He hadn't given them the time to tell him and he pushed away his hurt.

His relationship with his parents was another thing that his career was destroying.

"Oh. They… they only took it over not too long ago," James quickly said, realising he had said something wrong.

"No, my fault. I've not spoken to them much recently," Remus muttered sadly. "I'm here to fix that though."

"You've never been before though. We don't usually remember the holidaymakers, but we know the townsfolk and therefore would remember meeting Hope's son. I think she's mentioned you, your name is familiar."

Remus hoped that was why James knew him. James could have seen the name in a magazine or heard it on tv. He hoped his mum and dad spoke about him - not about him being famous, but if they told people about their son, then it meant he hadn't made as much of a mess as he thought.

"Are you off somewhere?" Remus asked, changing the subject. "The train just left."

"Not at all. My friend Peter works the station but his cover has called in sick. I used to work her a few years back and I said I'd cover him whilst he took his lunch break. I better head off, he's waiting for me." He turned to leave, but stopped, pushing his glasses into place. "Follow the stone path from the station down to the crossroads. Left is the hiking trails, so go right. Go straight into town and the tavern is right there. The Lupins live right next door to it."

"Thank you. Nice to meet you James."

"You too. I'll see you around, probably tonight when I go for a drink there," James said, grinning. He quickly headed into the station and Remus turned back towards town.

His parents didn't know he was coming. Perhaps he should have called ahead?

...oOo...

"Oh my Lord, is that my baby!" Remus was relieved at the joy in his mother's voice as he stepped through the door of the tavern. It was everything the name made it sound like, very old fashioned as though it had been there for many a year, and it didn't fit the typical pubs he was used to seeing.

"Mum," he said, dropping his case as she rushed around the bar and threw her arms around him. "Sorry I didn't call."

"Nonsense," she insisted. "You never have to call to tell me you're coming. You're always welcome, you know that."

Remus did know that, and it just added to his guilt.

"But what brings you out here? We assumed you'd be on tour." She lowered her voice slightly.

"They wanted me to, but I needed to get away," Remus said. "I can't do the pressure. Me and Benjy broke up because of it. I wanted to see you and dad."

"Your dad is away for a few days. I'll call him to come back and—"

"Mum, it's fine. I told them I was staying for a few weeks to work on some new songs," Remus insisted. "David couldn't complain if I was doing that."

Hope's smile shifted at the mention of David, but she said nothing. "Come darling, I'll put you in one of the tavern guest rooms for tonight, and have your bedroom at home ready for you in the morning."

"Oh, there are guest rooms here?" Remus asked, looking around.

"Just one," Hope insisted. "The other is in use. Sirius from the tattoo parlour is doing some renovations in his place, so he's staying here for the time being. Lovely boy…" a thoughtful look came over her face. "Has had his heart broken before though, but he's single now…"

Remus chuckled. "You haven't changed," he said.

Hope didn't reply. Remus knew what she was thinking - she was thinking about how Remus _had_ changed. With the fame, he had unintentionally pulled away from his family. But he was determined now, as he looked at his mother, to fix that. To fix the relationship between them.

...oOo...

Remus walked around the town, taking everything in. Each person whose path he crossed greeted him with a wide smile. Remus had petted about six dogs already and he already felt more at ease. He hadn't felt like this in a couple of years at the very least, and knew that the break was going to be good for him.

His mum was busy working and he had offered to help, but Hope had insisted that she wasn't able to stop to teach him the ropes that night - she'd do it on Monday. So that gave him the weekend to explore. The weekend to try and get some thinking done.

He continued following the brick path that led out of town, not entirely sure where he was going. He reasoned that as long as he followed the paths, he'd find his way back. That particular path led him over a bridge and to the beach. Rocks lined the golden said almost a mile in each direction and Remus got the impression that it was a private beach, one that wasn't connected to the beach he had seen whilst on the train there.

Feeling the sun on his skin and feeling too hot, Remus removed his cardigan and folded it over his arm. A moment later he removed his trainers and socks too, enjoying the feel of the warm sand under his feet.

He began to slowly walk the length of the sand, picking up some shells as he went and examining them. He had adored the beach as a child, always collecting shells. But his childhood felt like a lifetime ago. It was before he was discovered and turned into a star - well, he wouldn't say star - he didn't think he was big enough to be a star, but he was famous.

He spotted a hollow log and stared at it for a moment, before peeking inside and making sure there were no frogs or anything inside of it. Satisfied, he sat down on it and stared out into the ocean.

There was a slight wind that cooled his otherwise hot skin and the sound of the water gave him a new sense of calm that he found he desperately needed. He could hear the birds, but aside from that, silence.

After half an hour, Remus considered heading back. He wanted to spend time with his mum and perhaps the tavern wouldn't be too busy at that time. He could get a few minutes before people arrived. As he was about to stand up, he spotted a large black dog run into the water, before running out just as fast. The dog ran closer and suddenly began to shake, drops of water hitting Remus.

"Padfoot, that's enough!" came a shout. Remus turned, noticing a man jogging towards them. The man was dressed in a tight yellow tshirt and a pair of black shorts, and wearing a cowboy hat on his head. Remus could only stare. Not because his clothing was so odd, but because the man was gorgeous.

"I'm sorry. My dog… well, you know how dogs are I imagine," he said. "He didn't get you too wet, did he?"

"It's fine," Remus insisted with a smile. "Just a few drops, nothing to worry about. I was just about to head back to town anyway."

"You here on holiday?" the man asked.

Remus shook his head. "No. Just visiting family."

The man cocked his head. "That's not all though," he murmured thoughtfully. "You looked deep in thought over there. You're walking on the beach and I'd have heard if you came here before today. You've got the look of someone trying to figure something out."

The man was a little too forward which Remus wasn't sure he liked, but he had a point.

"I do a very demanding job in London," he confessed. "Other things have fallen by the wayside. I've not been a good son. I came here because I'm unhappy. I want to fix things, though my mum acted like I didn't ever pull away from her and dad."

"Sounds like a good mum," the man said. "Why do it? Why do a job that you're so unhappy in?"

"It's all I know," Remus insisted softly. "I like what I do, just not how or where I do it."

"Do it somewhere else," the man insisted. "I've been there, trust me. Maybe different circumstances, but I had a job I hated and a lot of expectations heaped on me. But I had a friend from boarding school who came to live here. He invited me down to stay for a couple of weeks. Then invited me again. The third time he invited me, I quit my job, sold my flat and came here to start anew with my brother. I knew that if I came back, I'd never want to leave."

"I have to leave," Remus sighed.

"Not really," the man said with a shrug. "You get one life. Do what makes you happy. My old life I had parents who were arranging a marriage to some woman I'd never met. Even though they knew I'm gay. Here, I get to be me. I live where I like, I have friends that my parent wouldn't approve of. I run a business that makes me happy, and I feel free. I'm also unmarried. My life turned around when I came here." He gave Remus an adorable smile. "What I'm trying to say is that you make your own choices. If you're as unhappy in your job as you look, you're the one choosing to stay there. If you job doesn't allow you to see your family, or keep a relationship or something, is it worth it? Shouldn't family and friends and love be higher on your priority list?"

"They should," Remus agreed softly. "But I love to sing. They just ruined it for me."

"Sing? Hey, you wouldn't be Hope's son, would you?" the man asked. "Lovely woman, she talks about you so much. Remus, right?"

"Yeah, that's me."

"Well, I'm Sirius. Sirius Black." The man held out his hand and Remus stood up from the log, shaking it.

"I better head back," Sirius said, glancing at Padfoot who was rolling in the sand. "Are you sticking around here a bit longer or heading back?"

"I'm heading back to the tavern to see my mum," Remus confirmed.

Sirius nodded. "I'll walk with you. I live above the tattoo parlour."

They started walking, the large dog running ahead of them excitedly, and there was a couple of minutes of silence.

"Do I look unhappy?" Remus found himself asking.

Sirius nodded. "You look exhausted. Not in the way that others do. We get people here on holiday who need a break, but now and then we get someone who looks like they're on the verge of a breakdown. Life can be hard and people don't stop to take a break, don't go and find what makes them happy. You had that look."

Remus nodded. "You look happy," he replied.

"Because I made the choice to be," Sirius responded as they reached the bridge. He clipped the lead back onto Padfoot's collar and leaned down to try and rub some of the sand from his fur. "Come to the tavern tonight. Have a drink with me and my mates, Peter and James—"

"Oh, I met James," Remus said.

Sirius grinned. "Doesn't surprise me," he replied. "And you'll feel a little more at ease. I'm performing in the tavern, but only a few songs. We'll have a drink and try loosen you up."

"You planning on getting me drunk?" Remus asked.

Sirius smirked. "I sure am. But I'll only take advantage of you when you're sober and consenting, not when you're drunk and seeing double."

Remus grinned. He'd find more than inspiration in Godric's Hollow if he wasn't careful.

...oOo...

Three weeks and Remus felt more at home in the house in Godric's Hollow than he had ever felt before.

Tuesdays weren't busy and his parents had gone to the next town for shopping, but Remus had opted to stay behind. He had hung out with the boys a few times, but craved more time with Sirius. Sirius had said he was free that afternoon, but hadn't given Remus a time.

He headed into the tattoo parlour for the first time, smiling at Regulus Black who was relaxing at the counter.

"Here for Sirius?" Regulus asked. He didn't want for an answer, instead choosing to loudly call Sirius' name.

Sirius appeared from the back room, wiping his hands on a cloth. Remus looked him over. Today he wasn't wearing his cowboy hat, he had his hair up in a messy bun, strands hanging down around his face.

"Hey," he said, somewhat shyly. "Just thought I'd see what time you were free today? I.. I was thinking - did you want to perform together sometime? I brought my guitar but I can drop it back if you're not up for it."

"And you have a basket," Sirius pointed out.

"Yeah. Lunch," Remus said.

"A date," Sirius murmured softly. "It's about time we went on an official date."

"Sirius, you can't just assume the other times were unofficial dates," Regulus pointed out loudly from his spot at the counter.

"I can assume as I like," Sirius insisted. "Sure. Can you give me fifteen, I'm almost finished up here and I'll grab my guitar from upstairs." He disappeared into the back room again.

...oOo...

"What do all of your tattoos mean?" Remus asked.

Sirius glanced down at his arms. "Lots of things," he replied. "Which one?"

"The peacock, the stag."

Sirius traced the peacock that stood by his elbow. "I get a tattoo every time I love someone," he said. "Even if they're just here for a week holiday. If I fall in love, they earn a place."

Remus couldn't help the jealousy.

"This was Lucius. He came back once, I thought it was real, but he left. He was engaged, though I didn't know at the time. Still, that's a reminder."

"And the stag?"

"James," Sirius said.

"James Potter?"

"It's a platonic love. He's like my platonic soulmate," Sirius insisted. "Peter's on here somewhere too, as is Regulus. It's not just about romantic love, it's about all types."

Remus bit his lip. "If I made my way on your body somehow…" he started, but blushed at Sirius' smirk. "I mean if you had a tattoo about me, what would it look like?"

The smirk faded and Sirius stared at him for a long moment. "Like this," he finally said, reaching into his trouser pocket and pulling out a bit of paper.

Remus opened it and found a picture of a wolf and a moon. It was unfinished, but the detail was amazing.

"You've got your place already," Sirius said softly. "It'll be sad when you leave though."

Remus smiled softly. "What if I never leave?" he asked. Why would he ever want to leave Godric's Hollow? It had his family, his new friends. It was home.

"Really? But your music," Sirius said, hopefully. "What will you do?"

"I'll make the choice to be happy," Remus insisted, reaching for Sirius' hand. "Maybe I'll do another album, but I'll do it on my own terms, and I'll travel down. But these past three weeks have told me one thing. That I belong here."

"With me?" Sirius checked.

"With you," Remus confirmed.


	9. Picking Up the Pieces

Written for:

Meetcute - Prompt 6

Fortnightly - Sophie's Smut - 1. Moist

Fortnightly - 15. Write about best friends

Mythology Club - 4. Write about the start of something new

Herbology - Setting: Pub / Relationship: Lovers

Pop Figure: Nico Minoru - 1 (Drink) Whiskey / 2 (emotion) lonely / 3 write about someone hitting rock bottom

Around the world - 7 - Leather Jacket

Writing Club -

Assorted - 15. Write about someone who values love above all else

Disney - 7. Write about someone wise or eccentric

Showtime - 3. Word: outshine

Em's Emporium - 4. Write about picking up the pieces

Liza's Lodes - 10. Write about a virgin

Angel's Arcade - 3. (colour) powder blue / (dialogue) "Let me show you how it's done." / Changing clothes

Assignment 6 - Divination - 1 - Write about someone trying to enjoy their life

* * *

 **Picking Up the Pieces**

 **WolfStar**

* * *

"Remus, I know you lost your mum and that's hit you hard, but you can't act like this," James said.

Remus barely paid attention to the words. An intervention banner hung limply from the ceiling and Remus was sure the paint on it was still wet as it was slowly trailing down the banner, leaving a path of paint in its wake.

Behind James stood Peter and he could also see their manager, Frank, and Frank's wife Alice. The people who cared about him were all in that room. A total of four people.

He was part of a band that everyone knew the name of, yet he had four people who cared about him. He couldn't help but laugh at the idea. A few months ago, that number had been five. But his mother counted for a lot more than one person.

"Kick me out of the band then," Remus suggested, knowing full well that James wouldn't do that. He was itching to reach for the small bottle of whiskey in his coat pocket.

"Never," James sighed. "Remus, please. I know it's been hard on you to lose your mum - I've been where you are, but you helped me through it. I'm here to help you too. We're family, remember - you said we're family. We've got to stick together."

"Yeah, and you've got an image to maintain," Peter added, but James' glare silenced him.

"Peter's right," Frank said. "We weren't going to talk about that at first, but now it's mentioned… Remus, it may not matter to you right now, but Rioting Dementors isn't just about you. It's not about me either - James and Peter have worked hard to get this band where it is. Benjy quit and the band matters."

"Why?" Remus muttered.

"Because there are teenagers out there that look at you as a role model," Alice insisted. "You help people who need it, but you're on the verge of ruining your image. All of those teenagers and kids that look up to you, and you're going to throw that away because you want to have fights."

"It wasn't a fight, it was a breakup."

"One that involved a lot of shouting," Alice added. "Okay, Benjy wasn't the most supportive during your mother's passing, but a public breakup isn't good."

Remus sighed. He knew all of this. He had seen the papers who took delight in showing that Remus wasn't as sweet as he pretended to be.

"What do I do?"

"I have an old friend who is excellent on the guitar. He's been on my sofa for the last three weeks. He'll be good enough to take the empty space in the band, and he's gay."

"Why does the last bit matter?" Remus checked.

"Because you need to fix your image and a fake boyfriend is the way to go," Frank insisted. "You need someone to keep an eye on you. You need to stop drinking, stop fighting. Sirius is willing to keep an eye on you."

"Great. I've been demoted to 'child in need of babysitting'," Remus snorted.

"If the shoe fits," James retorted. "The most important thing to all of us is to help you through your grief. Secondly, is to protect your image because it matters so much to you how people view you. The band is important, but you matter more."

"God, this guy must be really desperate if he's going to pretend to date me," Remus muttered.

"The term you're looking for is batshit-crazy," James insisted. "And yeah, he's pretty insane."

Remus rolled his eyes. "Great." His thoughts moved to the bottle once more. He reached for it, a little ashamed of himself as he handed it to James. How had he let himself get into this state?

...oOo...

The next day went uneventfully for Remus. He had reached for the bottle of whiskey more than once, only to find that James had purged his little flat from alcohol. "You're reliant on that to help you through this," James had insisted the day before. "When you're back to your old self, there's no problem." Remus didn't know how long it'd take for him to get through this, but he hated that he had caused James so much upset.

Remus knew he could walk to the shop down the road, but he stopped himself. He made a promise the day before. His mum wouldn't have liked how he was acting, and just because she had passed away, it didn't mean he should start acting in a way that would disappoint her. She was proud of him and he wanted to stay the person she was proud of.

Instead of moping, Remus forced himself into the shower. Today was a new day. He was going to pretend that he could do this. He would pretend as much as he could, until somehow it was true. He wouldn't let his friends down any further because Frank was right - they had all built up the Rioting Dementors and he was going to single-handedly destroy it. He couldn't do that to James or Peter.

He took his time rubbing the shampoo into his hair. He had a date today, fake or not, there would be photos. He had brought enough shame on himself already with the drinking and fighting with Benjy in public (though Benjy was being a bit of an arse, Remus could have handled it better). His mum would have been so unhappy had she seen those papers. Just because she wasn't there, it didn't give him a pass to act however he wanted. He knew he needed to continue showing his best self, and continue to do her proud.

The conditioner followed and Remus allowed his thoughts to turn to his clothes. It was a fake date, but he still wanted to look his best. He could show the world that he was back on track, and a good picture of him smiling with the new guitarist would help repair the damage he caused. Replace the bad story with one of him holding hands and having a nice time with another man.

Remus couldn't understand what kind of man would pretend to be in a relationship like this though. But he would have to thank the guy for wanting to help him, even though the man didn't know him at all.

He rinsed out his hair and stepped from the shower onto the towel, quickly grabbing a towel from the heated towel rack and drying himself. He wasn't one for buying these things for himself, but warmth was important and warm towels were worth the money. Once drier, he pulled on the large fluffy dressing gown and pushed his feet into his cozy slippers and headed into the bedroom to pick something to wear.

He knew his cardigans and collection of oversized jumpers didn't quite fit the image of the band, but he had been clear that he wasn't going to change himself back when they started. He sifted through his jumpers, picking one his mother had made for him two Christmases ago, and then he checked his phone.

 _"That pub you like at 12."_

Remus sighed softly before replying to James' text, confirming that he'd be there. He grabbed a plain powder blue t-shirt before grabbing the brown jumper and pulling it on over.

...oOo...

Remus sipped the lemonade, resisting the urge for something stronger as he headed back to his usual table. The band sometimes met in that pub because the manager kept the press out and banned people from taking pictures or bothering the band. In return he got the publicity of being their regular pub and sometimes the band would sit near the windows so people could take the occasional candid shot of them hanging out.

Remus had only been at his table for five minutes when his gaze moved across to the bar. Standing there, leaning on it and chatting away to the man behind the bar was the most gorgeous man Remus had ever laid eyes on. He was tall, though Remus' estimate was that he was a couple of inches (if that) shorter than Remus himself, and he had dark hair that fell down his back in a plait. Stray curls escaped from it, curling around his ears, down by his shoulders and on the back of his leather jacket.

The man glanced around, his gaze not finding Remus as he did so, and Remus couldn't help but stare as the man's hand moved up and he scratched at his neck. A series of black dots and lines trailed up, stopping short of his jaw and Remus wanted to see more of the tattoo.

He didn't look away until the man had picked up his drink and turned properly, his eyes scanning the pub. His gaze stopped on Remus and he stared for a long moment.

Remus had never wanted people to pay attention to him because he was famous. But for the first time, he hoped the stranger recognised him because Remus would never have the confidence to approach someone so gorgeous. But if the guy approached him…

His wish appeared to have been granted, because the man started over, his fingers clutching a bottle of orange. Remus realised that he had no idea how to talk to men like this, but before he could plan anything, the man was at his table.

"Can I sit down?"

His rough voice was equally sexy and Remus could only nod.

...oOo...

Sirius stretched out on the sofa bed, feeling infinitely more comfortable there than he ever did in his own bed. He had turned up when James had been asleep, but thankfully he was one of the few people with both a key and the alarm codes, so he let himself in, reset the alarm and found some blankets. He was sure there was a spare bedroom somewhere, but he didn't want to be walking around and scaring James.

He hadn't much stuff with him, just one case was all he needed after his parents had told him earlier that day that his marriage had been picked. Sirius had pretended for so long that he was what they wanted, but this was one thing he couldn't do any more.

He took a few minutes to stick his poster of James' bandmate to the ceiling before he lay down to go to sleep. Today he had left home. A big choice, a scary one - because though he was gaining freedom, he was also walking away from everything he knew. His life was so lonely and he deserved happiness. He deserved to have fun, to fall in love. To have friends who cared.

"What in the… Sirius?" James grabbed a nearby cushion, quickly holding it in front of him.

"Small cushion," Sirius commented, opening one eye. "I guess you don't need a bigger one to cover a cock that small."

"Screw you," James muttered.

"I know you would if you could," Sirius retorted. "I left home. I live here now."

"Sure," James muttered. "I'll go and find some pyjamas." He turned to leave the room, speeding up as Sirius wolf-whistled loudly.

"Looking more firm than ever. Been doing butt-clenches?" Sirius called after him.

"I have actually," James shouted back from the hallway.

...oOo...

"What has you stressed today?" Sirius asked as James walked around the place, getting things ready for Sirius. The spare bedroom had been used for junk and James had spent his free time for the past few weeks clearing it and helping decorate it with Sirius, in between dealing with his band and Sirius searching for a job.

But Sirius knew something was getting James down, no matter how much he tried to hide it.

"How long have you got?"

"Talk to me," Sirius insisted gently.

"I have a friend whose going through a hard time," James began almost reluctantly.

"Is it me?" Sirius checked.

James sighed. "We're going to be here a while. Do you want to order a pizza?"

...oOo...

Pizza ordered and eaten, James seemed a little calmer.

"It's another friend," James began. "Remus. He lost his mum a couple of months ago and he's really struggling. He broke up with his boyfriend, our guitarist, Benjy. He's been drinking a lot and Remus doesn't drink that often. I don't know what to do," he admitted. "We need to fix Remus and find a guitarist. We need to fix our image. But the Remus thing first."

Sirius held back his excitement at the mention of Remus Lupin. He had harboured a crush on the musician ever since first laying eyes on him, but hadn't wanted to press James for information because he didn't want to overstep boundaries. Just like he didn't want to point out he was excellent on guitar. He'd audition just like everyone else.

"You need an intervention," Sirius said. "Lupin seems reasonable from what I've read about him. So just tell him how his actions are affecting things. So… how's he coping with the breakup?"

"I expected it months ago," James admitted. "But it was too public. Remus will be upset with himself for ruining his image. He likes that people look up to him and he tries to do good, but… he's affected that and we need to fix it fast."

"One problem at a time," Sirius said, glancing towards the almost empty pizza box. "You having that last slice?"

James shook his head and Sirius reached for it.

"Intervention first," he said. "You need to give it to him straight. Tell him how much you care and stuff and get him back on track. If you can get this sorted, you won't have to worry about any more issues."

"Good good," James agreed. "I know I can get through to him, but the breakup… it was all over the papers."

Sirius had avoided the papers. He had worried that his running away and being disowned would have been on or near the front page, but now he regretted it. The paper had pictures of Remus Lupin and details on his breakup and those things were important. He had never liked the guitarist of the band, especially since Lupin and the guy had gotten together. But now they were apart, and Sirius was in a position to meet him at some point.

"Fix it. Make everyone love him again," Sirius suggested.

"How?" James mused, as Sirius bit into the cooling slice of pizza. "Another relationship perhaps? But would he be up for that? Maybe I could get someone to pretend to date him just so he can get some nice publicity for a bit?"

Sirius nodded in agreement, already deciding that he would take that task.

"At least we can have someone around him to keep him in check and help him out," James added. "Stop him drinking and maybe just have a laugh with him and get his mood up."

"Okay, you twisted my arm, I'll do it," Sirius said, sighing deeply. "Just give me his phone number and I'll seduce him."

"We were talking about a fake boyfriend," James said, his eyes narrowing slightly. "Sirius, you couldn't seduce anyone."

"I could."

"You couldn't," James laughed. "Sirius, you've never dated anyone."

"I'm more charming than you, though that's pretty easy," Sirius insisted. "But, fine. Fake boyfriend it is."

James watched as Sirius finished the piece of pizza before he stood and began to clear up the boxes. "You've been playing your guitar?"

"All of the time," Sirius said, noticing the change of topic. "I couldn't manage to bring it with me though. Why?"

"We need a new guitarist and someone who isn't scared off by an argument," James said. "We did auditions when we found Benjy, but the band is going through a lot, because whatever happens to Remus, happens to all of us. We're a team, a unit. The band matters, but Remus matters more."

"But don't I need to audition?" Sirius checked.

"I know you're good," James insisted. "Amazing. I'd have asked you to do this long ago, but I knew you'd be reluctant because of your family. You're here now and just in time because we need a guitarist. We need someone to pretend to date Remus, and I have a feeling you're ready to tell the world about yourself."

Sirius nodded. Joining the band and dating Remus. He was living his dream. "Do the intervention tomorrow. The next day I'll meet with Remus," he insisted. It gave him a day to prepare.

...oOo...

He walked into the bar, noticing Remus straight away. Sirius knew he was in the best place to help Remus right now. He wasn't overly close to Remus which helped - sometimes it was easier to talk to a stranger. Plus, he didn't have any intention of pretending to date Remus. He wanted to really take Remus Lupin out on a date and see the real guy behind the image he had been drooling over for the last four years.

He took a moment at the bar, choosing not to look at Remus as he collected himself and prepared to meet Remus for the first time. He ordered himself a soft drink, not wanting to order alcohol when Remus wasn't drinking himself.

Finally he took his drink and turned, his gaze falling on Remus Lupin. Remus was already staring at him and Sirius hoped that Remus liked what he saw. This was all new for Sirius - he had pretended to only like women for too long now, and had never chatted up a guy before. He didn't want to screw this up.

Clutching his bottle of orange, Sirius approached Remus, who was watching with wide eyes, looking as nervous as Sirius felt. That helped, knowing that he made Remus feel nervous - hopefully it was a good kind of nervous though.

"Can I sit down?"

Remus nodded his head and Sirius reached for a chair, pulling it out.

All ideas he had previously come up with had long flown out of his mind.

"I'm Sirius Black," Sirius began. Names were a good start, he supposed.

"Remus Lupin," Remus replied, a slight smile on his lips.

"I know," Sirius admitted. He wasn't going to pretend he wasn't aware of who Remus was - that would be a massive lie and not the best way to start their relationship. "You're even more gorgeous in person." The posters and the tv didn't do Remus justice. They didn't quite capture how inviting his lips looked, or the gentleness of his eyes, or the way he kept trying to hold back a smile and failing.

Remus' cheeks reddened at Sirius' words. The media never showed the adorable blushing either. Sirius was even more taken with Remus than he had been minutes ago.

And he felt more confident all of a sudden. He had caused Remus to blush. James was wrong, Sirius could do this. As Remus held out his hand to shake Sirius', Sirius couldn't help himself. He brought Remus' hand to his lips, gently placing a kiss to the back of it.

Remus let out a soft chuckle when Sirius let go of his hand. "So… are you… are you a fan?" Remus' gaze seemed focused on Sirius' lips from the moment Sirius had kissed his hand, which Sirius hoped was a good sign.

"Yeah, a big one," Sirius admitted. Again, relationships that started with the truth were more likely to make it. "James has been sending me your CDs for a while and I have a poster."

"James?" Remus repeated vaguely.

"He _did_ mention us meeting today, didn't he?" Suddenly Sirius was concerned. "He texted me, I thought…" he trailed off as he pulled his phone out of his pocket and got the message up on the screen to make sure. "Yeah, it says here that he told you about me." What if Remus wasn't even aware of why he was there, and Sirius had risked coming across as a creepy stranger.

"Wait, are you the new band member?" Remus asked. "But you're gorgeous."

Sirius paused, his cheeks reddened as he glanced at Remus. "Well, I wanted to look my best for you," he said. "You didn't realise?" Girls had commented on his looks before, but this was different. This was someone he was truly interested in. Remus' opinion mattered a lot to him.

"No. I thought you were just a handsome stranger who was coming to chat me up," Remus admitted. "So… this is for the pretence, is it?" he sounded sad at the idea and Sirius wondered if it was because Remus had hoped he was just a guy in a bar, rather than an arrangement.

Nope. Sirius wanted to nip that idea in the bud as quickly as possible. If all Remus wanted was a fake boyfriend, Sirius would become part of his life in that role until Remus fell in love with him, then it'd be something real. But if Remus was actually interested in him now… why not have something real?

"That depends," he murmured softly. "But how about I tell you a few things about me first."

Remus nodded slightly, still staring at Sirius.

"I'm single and I like blokes," Sirius began, making sure to cover the two most important things first. Things that let Remus know that Sirius was properly available to date. "I also have a massive poster of you above my bed and I tend to say things without thinking them through - I mean, life is short, right? So… I think you're gorgeous and I've had a crush on you for a while. James said you were looking for a fake boyfriend, but I'd really like to take you to dinner or something, but on a real date. If you'd like that. I'm really actually interested in you, but if you only want to pretend, I'll accept that."

"You have my poster above your bed?" Remus repeated, not sure where to start with the information.

"Yeah. On the ceiling. I lay in bed and look at it when I'm... " Sirius trailed off, his cheeks reddening even more. "When I'm going to sleep," he finished. That was something Remus didn't need to know just yet.

Remus could tell that this wasn't how Sirius had originally planned to finish the sentence, but he couldn't tear his gaze away. Everyone usually had eyes for James or Benjy. Even Peter got more attention on bass. No one ever noticed the drummer. Remus didn't usually mind, but he couldn't understand how this man seemed to have a crush on _him_ when James was single?

"James is single," he said.

"I know," Sirius murmured. "I snogged him once when I was fourteen and it was really gross," Sirius insisted. "He's my best friend and he's like a brother to me and I'm not romantically interested in him in the slightest. I fancy the hell out of you and would like to get to know the real you, behind the magazine articles and interviews."

"But we're going to be working together," Remus insisted, still unable to believe it.

"I know, and I'm not easily scared of. If you're not interested, you say the word and we either pretend to date or just be mates or whatever. James asked me to do this because he knows that I won't just leave if things seem a little tough." His hand slid across the table. "If I didn't know James and you weren't famous, I'd still have made my way to this table, I promise you that. What do you think?" he asked, stopping inches away from Remus' hand. "You can ask me anything you want to get to know me better."

"James said you were insane," Remus admitted, the corners of his lips twitching. Sirius could see that Remus was trying not to smile. Though Remus' hand moved closer to his, their fingertips touching.

"Maybe a little," Sirius admitted casually.

"You're staying on James' sofa?" Remus asked. "What happened? You don't have to tell me if you don't want to, I'm just curious I guess."

"Well, my father is Orion Black," Sirius began. Remus nodded, clearly recognising the name. "Big name in parliament, though it'd do bad for his image if he had a gay son. So to stay a part of my family, I had to pretend to be straight. It… it wasn't fair, but I wasn't ready to give up my family. It was clear though that they'd disown me if the truth came out. So I pretended. I took pretty girls out to dinner and let the cameras do their work. It never got further than a kiss for the camera though. I pretended to date a girl for about a year, she was gay too, so it… it just made sense. That was until my parents arranged with hers for us to marry. I wasn't the only one to run away that day. Marlene is in Nottingham with her girlfriend and happy, and I'm here, looking for my own happiness."

"Wait. So apart from James, you've only kissed women?" Remus asked.

Sirius nodded, embarrassed. "I didn't want to bring shame to my family. Not that I'm ashamed of being gay, I just didn't want to hurt them," he said softly. "There's also nothing wrong with being twenty-three and a virgin." He knew his tone was defensive now, but couldn't help it. He heard people laughing about stuff like that all of the time. "I thought it was time for me to be selfish. I want to find something real, I want to fall in love, I want to stop pretending about who I am."

"You've never…" Remus looked dazed for a moment. "Okay. Let's do this. I'm actually glad. I'm not looking to rush into something, especially a sexual relationship." His hand moved again and he took Sirius' hand. "Usually I get approached for a shag. I don't… I like to care about the person I take to bed. Which has only been two guys, by the way."

Sirius nodded. Not a long list, and no pressure. "Unfortunately we're going to have to kiss in front of the cameras."

"Why is that unfortunate?" Remus asked, his gaze on their joined hands.

"Because I've had too many relationships in the public eye," Sirius murmured. "But it's for the good of the band. But I'd much like our first kiss to not be in the newspaper." Now Remus' hand was on his, he felt confident. He turned his hand over, lacing their fingers together. "What else do you want to know about me?"

"Why me?" Remus blurted out.

Sirius looked surprised at the question. He considered it for a long moment. "James talked about you before my family decided we shouldn't be friends anymore," he said. "Before you were famous, he talked about what a good guy you are and stuff and when I had to stop talking to him, it was nice to know that he had someone there that'd look out for him. Then when we… I'd read the papers about the band. You weren't what I pictured at all, all cardigans and jumpers that covered your wrists and shy and adorable and I was very much taken with you. No one will ever outshine you. I imagine if I had chosen to walk away from my toxic family years ago, James would have introduced us."

"Why do you think that?" Remus murmured, wondering how in the world he deserved this stroke of good luck.

"Because even though he said he wants a pretend boyfriend for you, he's not stopped telling me adorable things about you," Sirius insisted gently. "And it's clear you matter dearly to him, and I like to believe I matter a lot still, so he's trusting us with each other. He knows you've been hurt and you're going through hurt, and he knows I've walked away from my family and I'm pretty scared about that and I've never dated another man before…"

"Maybe he trusts me with you because he knows I won't take advantage of that," Remus insisted gently. "You talk a lot, but I like that. I've learned more from you today than I knew from some of my exes in our whole relationship. Sometimes I can be quiet and it'll be nice not having to feel the need to fill silences. Plus, you have a… I like your voice."

Sirius smiled gently. "So, can we call this our first date?" he asked. "A lunch date and then we walk out of here hand in hand, or arms around waists and let the cameras do their thing?"

Remus nodded. He had a good feeling about Sirius, and he also trusted James' opinion. "I'd like that," he said gently. "You know, you can drink if you want. You don't have to have juice just because of me."

Sirius glanced at the drink. "I'm fine with this," he said. He grabbed the menus from the stand in the middle of the table and passed one to Remus. "What's good here?"

"The chocolate fudge cake," Remus promptly replied. "It's delicious and moist. I could eat it forever."

Sirius grinned. "That covers dessert," he said.

Remus glanced up over his menu. He had never wanted to kiss anyone as much as he wanted to kiss Sirius.

"Let's save the kissing until we're back at mine later, if you want to stick around for dinner and discuss all of this further," Remus suggested.

"Kissing?" Sirius murmured eagerly.

Remus nodded. "I mean, if the only bloke you've kissed before is James… well, let me show you how it's done."

"I can hardly wait," Sirius insisted. "Perhaps I'll just order a sandwich, much quicker to eat."

Remus silently agreed. The sooner they finished, the sooner he could get Sirius to his flat. He was sure they had a real connection and he was eager to explore that. Slowly of course.

...oOo...

James had been watching his phone for two hours, waiting for one of his friends to message him after the lunch. After suggesting a fake boyfriend, it had been extremely clear to him that Sirius had heart-eyes for Remus Lupin and James had been wary over that.

Remus had gone through a big loss, a breakup and a hit to his reputation. He was going through too much and James wasn't sure that a lovestruck Sirius was the best thing to happen.

But Sirius had spent his whole life being told what to do, how to act, who to date. James wasn't going to do the same to him. So he arranged the lunch and hoped that Sirius wouldn't get his heart broken.

Finally, after his texts had been ignored, he headed to the pub only to find out he had missed the pair by an hour. Sirius would have arrived back in that time, so James headed to Remus' flat instead, silently annoyed that he hadn't checked there first, because Remus lived just down the road from him.

He let himself into Remus' flat as he often did, using the key Remus had given him long ago, and headed into the living room.

He couldn't help but smile. His two best friends were curled up on the sofa together. The tv was playing a movie, but Sirius and Remus weren't looking at the screen. They were kissing so gently, slowly, softly. James was relieved that they were both dressed and their hands were restricted to the more innocent places.

"Fifty quid to watch, Potter," Sirius murmured against Remus' lips, before turning his head to look at his friend.

James looked between them. He saw the smiles on their lips. They both looked so happy, so perfect in each other's arms. How could he be wary over something that brought happiness to them?

"Look after each other," he said softly, looking between them.

Sirius nodded his head, his arms tightening around Remus protectively.

"I promise," Remus murmured. "Do you want to stay for dinner?"

James looked between the pair again. "Tomorrow," he said, wanting the pair to have time to themselves. "Later." He turned to leave, glancing back once and seeing the pair had forgotten him already, their eyes only for each other.

As he left the flat, he thought about all of the good that could come out of the relationship. How had he not seen it before - Sirius and Remus were perfect for each other. They both deserved happiness and it looked like they had both found it.


	10. Moving On

Written for:

Meet-cute 7:

Lavender may have followed her high school sweetheart to college only to get dumped his first day there, but that won't stop her from exploring his new life. Things start looking up when she meets Parvati, who's mysterious, grouchy, hot—and possibly not gay. When their friendship deepens into something neither expects, Lavender has a new challenge: convince Parvati this isn't just a pity fling but something more serious.

Herbology: Word: Eye-candy / Relationship: Exes / Theme: Jealousy / AU: University / Emotion: Confused

Fortnightlies -

Sophie's Smut - 2. Thrust

Birthday Bash - 12. Bed sharing

Mythology Club - Emotion: Curiousity

Pop Figure - Jessica Jones - 1 (emotion) sulky / 2 (dialogue) "I… didn't listen to a word of what you just said." / (trait) Confident / (trope) sharing a bed

Around the World - 12: (object) lamp

Writing Club

Assorted Appreciation - 11 - Write about someone keeping their composure when things go wrong

Disney Challenge - Theme 2- Write about finding a friend in someone unexpected

Em's Emporium - 5 - University AU

Angel's Arcade - Fi: Trait: Supportive / Word: Lace / Dialogue: "I'm always here when you need me."

Assignment - Divination 2 - Write about someone learning something

* * *

 **Moving On**

* * *

Remus couldn't go home. He had made too much of a fuss about going away to college to his friends and family. After all, his boyfriend was going, and Remus was too attached to Ryan to end things. He thought it was going to last forever.

Ryan had insisted that a long-distance relationship wouldn't work at all, so to Remus, that left one choice. Going to college with Ryan and continuing their relationship. It was clearly what Ryan wanted when he had pointed out that one of them leaving town and the other staying wouldn't work.

He was excited about university. He had never been to London before, in fact, he had never left Wales before, so it was all new to him. He could take his courses to learn to be a teacher anywhere.

But upon arriving, Ryan had been shocked to see Remus there. Disappointed. Putting distance between them by stepping back when Remus tried to hug him, crossing his arms and making sure Remus couldn't come near him.

It hadn't taken Remus long to realise that Ryan's comments about _long-distance not working, and how unfortunate it was that they couldn't be together anymore_ were just a polite way of saying: _'we're over'_ without the actual dumping.

So he hid the upset, got his room listings and headed across the campus to where he was supposed to be. His first day in London wasn't going as expected at all. He regretted leaving home but it was too late now. He'd be upset about his relationship when he was alone - he couldn't put his life on hold for Ryan, he clearly wasn't worth it.

...oOo...

"So, you're the person I got stuck with, huh?" the dark-haired man said, not even turning over to look at Remus as Remus closed the door behind him. "The reason I didn't get James as my roommate. Do you think you're better than James?"

Remus didn't really know what to reply. "No," he finally said. "I'm not better than anyone." He tried to keep the misery out of his tone. Maybe Ryan thought Remus wasn't good enough? Maybe that's why he hadn't wanted a future with him? "I'm sorry if my being here is an inconvenience to you. If it helps, you're not the only person who feels like that."

The man rolled over, his gaze on Remus, an assessing look on his face. "Who did you inconvenience?" he demanded nosily, bringing his arm up to scratch his cheek. Remus' gaze followed the movement, his eyes fixed on the intricately detailed lace cuff of the guy's sleeve briefly.

Remus sunk down onto the one bed that didn't have clothes scattered all over it already. His roommate had clearly picked his side of the room, and though Remus would have preferred the other bed, he didn't want to complain. It was only a bed, and complaining would get them off on the wrong foot.

"My boyfriend… or ex, I suppose. He said that he didn't think we'd make it long distance, but he loved me… so… I thought if we weren't long distance…" he trailed off, realising he sounded pathetic. Chasing someone across the UK was clearly stupid.

"You came here for him?" his roommate asked, understanding. "And he didn't want you here?" His voice had softened slightly. "What a dick."

Remus shrugged. "It appears not. I should have just gone to University in Wales instead like I originally planned. I was just excited to come to London for the first time, and…"

"This ruined London for you," the guy said softly. "Look, you seem like a nice enough guy, so I'll forgive you for stealing the room from James, okay?"

Remus nodded. He didn't really deserve the accusing tone the guy had started with, but didn't want to set off on the wrong foot with his roommate.

"Thank you," he said politely. "I won't be a bother. I'm very quiet."

"I like noise," the guy muttered, clearly annoyed again. He let out a loud, drawn out sigh. "I don't like quiet."

Remus didn't reply and a minute later, the guy rolled over to face the wall again. Day one was not going well at all. At least his roommate didn't completely hate him, even if the man didn't actually like him. Maybe they could learn to get along?

...oOo...

"Remus, what are you still doing here?" Ryan asked, hostility in his voice as he approached Remus. Remus had been looking for somewhere to sit for lunch, scared of meeting new people and he had hoped to find an empty table but the tables were crowded and Remus had realised that he should have come a bit earlier in order to snag one.

"I joined this university," Remus replied. "I paid, I signed up to courses… I'm here to stay. I can't just leave now."

A look of pity filled Ryan's eyes. "Remus, you won't change my mind," he said. "We're over. I should have been more clear when I left Wales, but I wanted to spare your feelings. We're through." He reached out, his hand resting on Remus' shoulder. "You need to accept that. I've already met someone else, and—"

"Everything alright here, love?" came a voice from behind them. "Did you find us a table, sweetheart?" For a moment, Remus was filled with panic. Ryan's new boyfriend. He didn't want to meet his replacement.

Sirius appeared at his side, seconds later lips were on his cheek and Remus stood, frozen, not sure what was going on. "I'm sorry, but he's taken," he said, his voice taking on a jealous tone as Sirius turned to Ryan. "I know he's hot, but maybe keep your hands to yourself in future, or you'll regret it." He glared until Ryan withdrew his hand. "James is holding a table for us. You ready to meet my best friend, dearest? I've told him all about you. Well, not about how adorable you look when you sleep."

Remus nodded. Sirius had been on the verge of hostile for the three days they had spent together already and the sudden change confused the hell out of him, though he understood that Sirius was giving him a chance to get away from his ex without looking like a loser. He allowed Sirius' arm to slip around his waist, and for him to be guided away, Ryan staring after them.

"What a dick," Sirius muttered, glancing back over his shoulder. "I don't know what you saw in him, he looks so… dull. Those clothes, that hair. He's so short too. _I'm_ much better looking."

"You are," Remus agreed. Both because Sirius was absolutely gorgeous, and because it was clearly the right thing to say. Plus, he couldn't think of anything else to say as Sirius' hand moved down to his arse. Moving away or telling Sirius to move his hand didn't even enter his mind. Instead, he hoped Sirius wouldn't feel his heart racing.

Sirius smiled, something that Remus hadn't seen before. He maneuvered them between the tables, his arm still on Remus' behind, and his tray in his other hand, until they reached a table in the corner.

"James, this is Remus, my roommate," Sirius said. "Alice, Frank, Peter, meet Remus. Remus, these are my friends."

Remus smiled shyly. He wasn't good at meeting people and this was a lot of people in one go.

"Well, move up already," Sirius ordered. There was a scrape of chairs and a shift of trays and one space became two and Remus was gently pushed towards one of the seats.

"James Potter." A handsome guy with glasses grinned at him. "So you're the guy who stole my room?"

"Oh, I'm really sorry—" Remus began.

"It's okay," James insisted with a laugh. "Sirius just sulks a lot. I know you didn't have a choice in the matter. I actually feel sorry for anyone stuck sharing a room with Sirius, but don't worry - he'll snap out of the sulk."

"I don't sulk," Sirius muttered. "I deeply consider things, in silence."

James rolled his eyes. "Welcome to the madness, Remus," he said.

Remus looked around at the group. "It's nice to meet you all," he offered politely.

"And if that dick ever bothers you again, you tell me," Sirius added. "I'm always here when you need me." He reached on to his tray and examined the chocolate muffin for a moment before he thrust it at Remus. "For you."

Remus thanked Sirius and took the muffin. Had Sirius noticed his love of chocolate, or perhaps Sirius just didn't want the double-chocolate muffin and was attempting to be nice.

He told himself that Sirius wasn't really interested. Sirius was just being nice and trying to get Ryan to leave him alone.

He glanced around as he took the muffin out of its wrapper. The others had fallen into conversation, but James' gaze was darting between the pair and he had a knowing smile on his face. Remus wasn't sure what conclusion James had come to, but decided not to ask.

An arm slipped back around his waist and Remus didn't object.

...oOo...

"Remus, open the door!" The pounding stirred him from his sleep and he opened his eyes to see Sirius throwing his pyjama bottoms on the floor along with his t-shirt.

His mattress dipped and arms were around him. "What…"

"It's me," Sirius murmured. "Just… tell him to come in."

"Come in," Remus called sleepily as he flicked the lamp on. The handle shifted down and the door opened and Ryan stood in the doorway, looking around. His gaze fell on the pair in the bed. "Is this a bad time?"

Remus glanced at Sirius, realising that Sirius was wearing only his pants. He couldn't help the way his gaze moved over Sirius' gorgeous body. Sirius' hand rested protectively on Remus' hip.

"Yeah, it is," Sirius muttered, standing up from the bed. "You realising what you missed so you think you can come to Remus' room and catch him alone in the middle of the night…" Sirius leaned against the door, not caring about his state of undress. "Remus is worth more than someone turning up at 2am for a booty call," he snapped. "If you come to _our_ room again, you'll regret it."

"Remus can make his own choices," Ryan snapped. "He wants more than a bit of eye-candy." He turned his gaze to Remus. "Remus, I made a mistake."

Remus looked between the pair. Days ago he had thought Ryan loved him. He had done everything to make sure they were in a position to stay together only for Ryan to not care. In fact, Ryan had found a new boyfriend already, and Remus had wondered how long Ryan had been dating this guy. Since Ryan was there, probably not dating him anymore. Remus deserved to be more than Ryan's back-up, his second choice.

And then there was Sirius. Grumpy, moody Sirius who Remus just couldn't get a read on. Sirius who was annoyed at him one minute and then defending him the next. Whatever this was, Sirius deserved the same - to be more than Remus' second choice. He had treated Remus with a lot of kindness in the last week and Remus was getting very attached to him.

"Ryan, we're done," Remus finally said. "I came here to be with you, but you missed your chance. I came to this room, and found Sirius instead."

"It was love at first sight," Sirius murmured softly.

"Love at first sight," Remus confirmed. "I want to be with Sirius."

Ryan glanced down Sirius' body for a moment, paying attention to his state of undress. Remus couldn't help the jealousy stir as Ryan's eyes lingered. The jealousy wasn't because Ryan was checking out someone else - no, the jealousy was because it was Sirius, and he felt strangely possessive over his handsome roommate. "Are you having sex with him?" Ryan snapped.

"That's none of your business," Sirius retorted. He glanced back at Remus, giving him a wide smile. "You okay, love?" he asked, talking loudly to drown Ryan out.

Remus nodded, his eyes moving between the pair, waiting to see what'd happen.

"Let me talk to Remus, alone," Ryan demanded, causing Sirius to turn his attention back to the guy in the doorway. He moved to walk into the room, but Sirius blocked him. "I… didn't listen to a word of what you just said," he said. "And honestly, I don't care. If you come back here, I'm going to report you for harassing us both. If you don't step back, I'm going to make you get out of my room."

Ryan took a step back, nervous at the anger in Sirius' tone, and Sirius slammed the door closed.

"What's his problem?" Sirius asked, turning the lock and leaning against the door.

"Well, I never had sex with him," Remus admitted. "He's probably wondering if we're having… you know… and why I'd do it with you and not him."

"Never? Didn't you date for a year?" Sirius asked.

Remus nodded his head. "I've never…" he trailed off, embarrassed. Everyone in school bragged about having sex. A lot of them wanted to have it over with before going to University and Remus didn't want Sirius to laugh at him.

Sirius smiled. He grabbed his pyjama bottoms from the floor and pulled them on, before moving back over to Remus' bed.

"Just in case he comes back," Sirius murmured. The door was locked and Remus was sure Ryan wouldn't return that night, but he didn't say anything. Sirius wanted to sleep in his bed and Remus wanted him there too. It had been nice for the few moments when Sirius' arm had been around him and he wanted that again.

"And just so you know, I've never done it either," Sirius murmured gently. "Though I am a big cuddler." He wrapped his arms around Remus again. "Goodnight, sweetheart." Lips pressed against the back of his neck. "You know, I'm really glad I didn't get roomed with James. He leaves dirty socks lying around. You, you smell really nice and I like your eyes and I bet you're a really good kisser."

Remus chose not to reply once more as Sirius settled down to sleep. Clearly they were in some sort of relationship now, and he found he didn't quite mind at all. He was also glad that Sirius hadn't been roomed with James.

"Keep this weekend free," Sirius murmured sleepily. "Going to show you how great London is. I'll make sure you don't regret coming here."

Remus had no regrets. Not a single one.


	11. Starting Anew - Omegaverse

**Starting Anew**

 **Omegaverse (no mpreg)**

Written for: The Dating Grounds -

Prompts: Remus, Teahouse

* * *

"This is a lovely place to have tea," Dorea said, pausing outside of a little tea-shop. "Would you like a cup, Sirius?"

Sirius shrugs and nods, before remembering himself. "Of course, Mum," he replies. He walks to the door and pushes it open, causing a small bell to ring. He holds it open so Dorea can walk in, and he follows her to a small table. She sits down and he takes the seat facing, taking a moment to look around.

The teahouse is quite spacious and has a very homely feel to it. He can see why Dorea likes it. Mismatched tables of all sizes fill the space, with odd chairs of various shapes and sizes. He likes it, it's different to all of the other coffee-shops he's used to, and wonders if all tea-rooms are like this. He's used to places like Starbucks and Costa, but already likes here more.

"How have you found places you like already?" Sirius finds himself asking, turning his attention back to her.

Dorea smiles. "I found this place when we came to view the house," she tells him. "So… I know you've had a nice day, even if you've been sulking. Come on, out with it - is it the move? Is it because of James taking Regulus to the cinema? You can always talk to me, Dear." As always, Dorea has seen through his sulking as she always does and there's no reason to pretend it's otherwise.

"He's not just going to the cinema with my brother - it's a date!" Sirius exclaims.

"And you feel left out," Dorea says. "What they have is new, and I know you feel left out - but it's both you and Regulus competing for James' attention. You as his best friend and Regulus as his love. It's taking a toll on the three of you, but at some point it'll work out," she assures him. "James is doing everything he can to make sure he shares his time equally between you both because he loves both of you."

Sirius doesn't want to discuss that right now. Dorea probably already knows that Sirius is scared of losing James altogether and there's no need to admit this. Though their love is familial and not romantic he can't help but be a little jealous all the same. "But… it's a bit of both. It's a little quiet here, don't you think? London was so busy, so loud, so much happening… it was exciting."

"There's nothing wrong with a quieter place," Dorea points out, smiling gently. "This is a safer place for you, Sirius. As much as we all love London, it wasn't right for us."

"You keep saying that, but you don't say why," Sirius mutters. He realises his tone is a little ungrateful. After all, Dorea and Charlus took him in, and then took Regulus in and have never asked anything of either of them - merely accepting them as family. "I'm sorry," he adds softly. He still has to sometimes remind himself that the Potters aren't the Blacks - they actually care about him - they actually do things out of kindness.

Dorea reaches her hand out, covering his. "London is home," she agrees. "But this place… this place is suitable for our family. Charlus got the position as chief of police down here and from everything we know, it's a safer community for Omegas - a safer community in general. That's one of the reasons he took it."

Sirius nods his head. He can't fault Dorea for wanting to keep her family safe. He's always concerned for Regulus' safety… though Regulus and James are together now and though he doesn't like the idea of his best friend and his brother, he knows that the only person he would ever trust with Regulus is James, and knows that James would never hurt Regulus. For that, he's happy.

He's just pissed because he's left out all of a sudden. They try to include him, but he can't help but feel like a third wheel. He also knows that it's very serious between them and part of him wasn't ready for his eighteen year old brother to be ready to settle down. How long before they married? Before they started a family? What if Sirius was alone forever, just watching this beautiful little family - and he only amounted to "Uncle Sirius" and never had his own?

Not that he'd tell anyone - but he wants a family more than anything. He wants to fall in love, find his soulmate and get married. He wants someone to hold him at night. He wants to feel safe, loved. Like he matters. He wants his children growing up with James and Regulus' kids. He has so much love to give, he just wants to find someone who deserves it.

The guys he's dated in London weren't the nicest of guys and he never really connected with any - and he suspects that's a massive factor in why Dorea and Charlus chose to move.

Dorea said that when she first laid eyes on Charlus, she just knew he was the one. Regulus admitted the same about James. Sirius wants that too. He wants to just look at someone and know that person is his. He wants to fall in love too.

...oOo...

It's just another day working in the teahouse for Remus. His shifts fall around college and around his part-job at the bookshop, but it's the holidays and he's on a break from his course for now and doing extra shifts.

The area is nice and they get people passing through on holiday.

The bell rings from above the door and from the corner of his eye he sees two people enter. He instinctively moves towards the counter, reaching for two menus and turns on the water to boil, before setting a cup out for himself. He drinks a lot of tea when taking shifts at the shop. He pulls out one of the clean kettles, ready to brew their tea and sets that down. By the time he's done this, the pair have removed their jackets and sat down at a table.

Remus heads towards the table by the window, his gaze moving between the pair. The older woman doesn't look familiar at all and he wondered if she was a holiday-goer. The man had his back turned, his gaze out of the window.

"Hi, welcome to Lupin Teahouse," Remus says, a friendly smile on his lips. His gaze moves from the woman to the guy, who turns in his chair at the sound of Remus' voice. He sets the menus down and reaches for the notebook and pen inside of the apron he's wearing. "Are you here on holiday?"

The woman shakes her head. "We've just moved into the area," she replies. "It's lovely to meet you…"

"Remus," Remus offers. It's not often someone comes to live in town, and he's curious about these people. Why would they move here? "Well, welcome, and if you need anything… but for now, I'll leave these menus with you and…" he trails off as he looks back at the man. The woman's son, he guesses. He forgets what he was saying, his eyes falling on the most handsome Omega in the world.

The man is looking back just as intently and Remus feels his cheeks redden. "I'll give you a moment," he says and rushes from the table, mentally scolding himself. He can't make a good impression to the handsome newcomer if he just runs away like this. He always has this problem - too nervous, too shy to talk to anyone.

Usually he's able to manage whilst working, but there's something about _this_ Omega that makes every other pale in comparison. He feels a little dizzy as he takes a seat behind the counter, and he reaches for the jug of water and pours out a glass for himself. Perhaps it's just the heat getting to him? Yes, that must be it.

He sneaks a glance towards the table. The guy has turned in his chair and is clearly staring in his direction whilst his mother looks at the menu.

Remus tries to get it together. He needs to go back over there and take their order and he certainly doesn't want to make a fool of himself.

...oOo...

"Do you think he's on the menu?" Sirius asks, turning in his chair as Remus walks away, clearly flustered. He doesn't turn back to Dorea for a moment. He's captivated by the Alpha and his heart feels like it's pounding inside of his chest.

He hears Dorea let out a soft sigh. "Sirius, don't fluster the poor boy, he's clearly shy."

Shy. Now that's adorable. Sirius watches as Remus takes a seat and has a glass of water before looking over towards Sirius. Remus quickly looks away, but Sirius doesn't divert his gaze at all. He can't bring himself to look away. He could look at Remus forever.

"It wasn't my intention," Sirius murmurs softly. "But he's so… right."

"There's a lot of time for you to be courted," Dorea insists. Sirius knows she's wary because of the last couple of guys he's dated and he can't blame her, but he can already tell that Remus is different from them. "I know you've been feeling lonely because of Regulus and James, but—"

"It's not like that, Mum," Sirius quickly insists. This time he does turn his gaze away from Remus. "It just feels right… here." He puts his hand on his chest. "I just… I can't think of the right words to explain - how did it feel when you met Pops the first time?"

She turns her attention from the menu, her eyebrows raising. "Ah," she says. "I was as entranced by Charlus as he was by me. It just took one look and we felt a connection."

Sirius nods. "That's a bit like what Regulus said," he agrees. He turns his attention back to Remus who has stood back up. Their eyes meet from across the shop and Remus quickly looks away again. "But what if he doesn't feel this bond?"

Dorea turns around to look towards Remus for a moment. "Sweetheart, if it's a real connection - a real bond, he'll feel it too," she assures him. Sirius watches as Remus comes around the counter, his eyes on their table, and he finally reaches for his menu. "But be careful. I don't want you to get hurt again."

...oOo...

Remus is torn between heading over to the table and staying away. He's terrified at what he's feeling for someone he doesn't know, but he's captivated and eager to know more about this guy - if he can talk without making a fool out of himself, that is. But he has a job to do, so can't avoid heading back over.

"Are you ready to order?" Remus asks, turning his attention to the mother.

"Just a pot of classic tea," Dorea requests. "And perhaps a slice of cake - what would you recommend?"

"Mum made some lemon cake this morning that looks really nice," Remus suggests. "Or there's chocolate. If you're willing to wait, there's carrot cake that'll be ready in about fifteen minutes."

"My name is Sirius," the Omega blurts out. "So… Remus, what is there for a single Omega to do around here?"

Remus tries not to portray how pleased he is that Sirius is single. Perhaps he can ask him on a date? He tries, but he can't get his brain to cooperate. "Single?" he repeats instead before feeling really stupid. He's terrible at this, he knows, but he hopes he can find a way to be good because he doesn't want Sirius to leave before he gets a chance to ask Sirius out.

Dorea rolls her eyes.

"Remus, what Sirius is trying to say is that we're new in town. My son, James is courting Sirius' younger brother and he's been feeling a little lonely. It'd be lovely if someone could show him around town."

Remus can't help but nod. He'd love nothing more than to spend time getting to know Sirius. He suspects what this strange feeling inside is, but can't be entirely sure until he's read some books on the matter.

"I'm free after two-thirty," he replies. "I'm working here until then. Do you want me to pick you up? Or we could do a different day - whatever you'd like."

Sirius shakes his head. "I'll meet you here," he replies, his lips curving into a gorgeous smile. "I can't wait."

...oOo...

Sirius arrives at two-twenty and Remus wants nothing more than to abandon the broom and the cloth and get going, but he has a couple more tasks to deal with. From the corner of his eye, he watches Sirius get comfortable in one of the empty chairs and knows his stormy grey eyes are fixed intently on him.

Remus hasn't ever had this sort of attention from… well, anyone before. He feels too self-conscious and awkward to be the focus, but continues to sweep the floor, working a little quicker than usual.

He gets the cloth and spray bottle and wipes down the counter before putting everything away and heading over to his mother who is putting a new cake in one of the cake stands.

"I'm off now," he says.

"Oh?" She turns. "I thought you were going upstairs to the flat. Can you pick me up some milk if you're going to the shop or— can you wait a moment, let me serve that customer." Her eyes move past Remus to where Sirius has settled at his table.

"Oh, that's not… there's a new family moved to town and that's… that's Sirius. He's asked me to show him around." His red cheeks betray him though as his mother pauses to stare at him.

She smiles. "Forget the milk," she says. "Have fun on your date."

"It's not… I don't think it's a date," Remus mutters as Sirius stands and approaches the counter. "But… you know what you said about you and dad…" he trails off as Sirius gets nearer.

Hope's smile widens. "You found your soulmate," she says softly. "It most certainly is a date. Remember, be respectful, treat him well and make sure you both have a nice time. Walk him home afterwards too."

Remus nods. He's even more nervous now, but reaches into the display and takes out two warm cookies. "I'll see you later," he says, before heading around the counter towards Sirius.

Sirius beams at him and Remus can't help but smile back as he holds out one of the cookies. "So, I was thinking… perhaps after I show you around… the cinema is… it makes great popcorn."

He stops talking, realising how stupid he sounds. Great popcorn? How much worse could he get?

"Yeah, I'd like that a lot," Sirius replies and Remus doesn't feel quite so stupid any more. "And… maybe something to eat after? I can't wait to find out all about you."

Remus nods. A movie and dinner… yup, it's definitely a date.

...oOo...

James pauses at the door, hearing voices. He's wary about Sirius being on a date, but knows he can't interfere unless he thinks Sirius is going to be hurt or treated badly. So he listens from the front door.

"We could still go to dinner," Sirius murmurs, sounding disappointed.

There's a soft laugh, gentle, not mocking. "I would have loved to take you to dinner, but you're going into heat, Sirius. I don't want you to have to force yourself to sit through dinner with other people around and feel any discomfort. I know we're having an amazing night and I hate to cut it short, but your heat takes priority."

"So… it's just the heat?" Sirius checks. James shifts from his spot behind the door. He's so angry at the people Sirius has been on dates with in the past. Not to mention the anger at the Blacks for allowing Sirius to grow up thinking he's anything but amazing. Those people allowed the self-doubt to become a part of Sirius, but maybe this guy is the one to break that pattern.

"It's just the heat," Remus reassures him. "I was going to take you to dinner and then there's this nice dessert place by the library and then walk the long way to here, there are nice trees and stuff… I don't want to tell you too much and spoil it though. But if you'd like we can do that next weekend… if you want to see me again?"

James approves slightly. Though he finds it hard to trust anyone with Sirius, this guy is clearly decent, bringing Sirius back when a heat hit unexpectedly and not trying to make a move. He sounds like he genuinely thinks Sirius won't want to see him again.

"Of course I want to see you again," Sirius hurries to say. "When?"

"When you've finished your heat and feel comfortable enough to come on that date, let me know. You'll find me at the tea-house, library or bookshop. Failing that, just ask my mum where I am. I can give you my home phone number."

"I don't have a pen," Sirius murmurs glumly. "And I don't want to go in just yet. I just want a couple more minutes before you leave. I can stop in and get it next time?"

"Should we sit on the step?"

Regulus comes over, a questioning look on his face and James holds a finger to his lips and points at the door. Regulus leans against it to listen.

"I just… I just want to say that… that you're really nice, Sirius. Amazing, actually. I… I'm glad you've moved to town."

"Me too. I wasn't sure about it before, but tonight has shown me that even though it's not what I expected, it's still nice. Probably nicer than London - less busy, less crowds. I think I'll be happy here."

"We can't really compete with somewhere big like London, but it's not a massive town. It's a nice community and… and I think that's one thing we can outdo London on. There are lots of community events - art fairs, farmers markets, the monthly car boot sale in the next town… plus when it's dark, the stars are so clear in the sky here. I love watching them."

"I'd love to watch them with you," Sirius murmurs. "We could have done that tonight after dinner."

"We could have," Remus agrees. "But look on the bright side - it just means we know what we're going to do on the next date. Dinner, a nice walk and then maybe come back here and watch the stars from your garden?"

"Why in my garden? Why not yours?" Sirius checks.

"Because it's a new town and you don't know me that well. I thought you'd feel safer in—"

"I feel safe with you!" Sirius is quick to assure him. "This… this bond. It… tells me that I am. I think I'll head inside now because you're right about the discomfort of the heat, but can I get a kiss goodnight at least?"

"I'd love to kiss you goodnight."

James moves away from the door, as does Regulus. They sneak back to the living room and look at each other.

"Mum never said that they had a bond," James says.

"He sounds decent," Regulus points out. "This is a good thing. I hate that Sirius always feels left out because we're together. It hurts me and I know it hurts you… but now… he's found his soulmate too."

"What if this guy turns out like the others?" James asks, worried. "Sirius should be in by now. It's one kiss."

Regulus laughs. "Exactly. Leave him to enjoy his first kiss with his soulmate. Go and tell Mum that Sirius is going into heat so she can sort out the heat room, and I'll suggest to Sirius that we double-date. We can check for ourselves that this guy is a good guy. But from what I heard, he sounds decent."

"He does," James reluctantly agrees. "I just want Sirius to be happy."

"Me too," Regulus agrees.

...oOo...

Remus can't help but smile as he walks away from the house. He didn't want to leave, not really, but Sirius was in heat and it was best to get him home early.

He could still feel Sirius' lips on his. It was obvious that Sirius had kissed others in the past - Remus had never been kissed before but hadn't felt at a disadvantage when Sirius pushed long fingers into Remus' hair and brought a hand around the back of his neck and kissed Remus until he felt his legs were going to give way.

"I'll come and find you the day after my heat ends," Sirius had promised, before heading inside, and Remus can't wait. The kiss just told him what he already knows - that he's found his soulmate.

And he has a week, tops, to plan an amazing second date… and maybe start planning the third one too.


End file.
